Irandhir Santos

The convergences and complexities of life in a middle-class suburb of Recife, Brazil, are played out in mesmerizing style in this stunning debut feature from film critic turned director Kleber Mendonça Filho. Taking a broad, diverse set of strikingly realistic characters - including a bored housewife seeking solace in technology, a descendant of colonial landowners struggling with his dark, mysterious past and a security company employed to provide protection to them all – Filho paints a rich, detailed portrait of a community connected and engulfed by fear, desire and the incessant murmur of modern life. A beautifully subtle, fiercely intelligent and utterly engrossing snap-shot of present-day Brazil, this bold, compelling and endlessly intriguing film has announced one of the most exciting new voices in contemporary world cinema.

Captain Nascimento is commander-in-chief of Rio de Janeiro's Elite Squad, a special task force police militia tasked with the most difficult and dangerous cases. After a disastrous operation on a prison riot, Nascimento gets caught in a bloody political dispute that involves not only government officials but also a deadly militia. Dismantling the complex web of allegiances is a job made all the more dangerous by Nascimento's realisation that the very people that he should be able to rely on to support his mission could be his deadliest enemies. Adding to this professional challenge are his troubles at home, as Nasciemento's ex-wife is now married to the newly elected State Representative. However, soon enough, his professional and personal life violently collide as he realises his work attracts danger to his family. Is it too late to save his loved ones as well as the city he has worked so hard to protect?