MPM Premium Acquires International Rights to Berlin Panorama Player ‘Betania’ (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Callum McLennan In a vibrant move reinforcing its commitment to Brazilian cinema, Paris-based MPM Premium has announced its acquisition of “Betânia,” prior to its Berlinale bow.

The film will world premiere in the diverse Panorama strand of the festival. The announcement marks another stride in MPM Premium’s journey of accompanying new and established Brazilian directors, having previously supported works from Sundance-selected Iuli Gerbase’s “The Pink Cloud” to Berlinale hits like Flavia Neves’ “Fogaréu” and renowned Karim Aïnouz recent experimental docs (“Nardjes A.” “Mariner of the Mountains.”)“Set in a magical place – the sand dunes of Lençois in Northern Brazil – Betânia is a heartfelt portrait of a community observing the end of the world as they know it,” Quentin Worthington, head of sales and acquisitions at MPM Premium, told Variety. “Far from playing a sad tone, we got euphoric with self-affirmed characters larger than life, a catchy music playing to our ears and a visually stunning cinematography.

The beauty of this diverse and multicultural Brazilian folklore coupled to the sense of urgency conveyed by the film’s environmental message, convinced us to acquire the film,” he added.

The aforementioned Betânia is a 65-year-old matriarch forced to return to her roots after the death of her husband. The narrative delves into her turbulent journey as she and her family navigate the challenges and changes of their traditional life against the encroaching desertification near the Amazon.