Suçuarana

Synopsis

Suçuarana is the name of a mythical place, a lush landscape that appears in the weathered photo of her mother that Dora carries with her always. Dora has been on the road for a long time, hitching rides through Brazil’s mining region in search of her family’s homeland. But no one seems to know this place, seemingly lost to time. And the open road can be troubling for a woman traveling alone, as the generosity of strangers is suddenly eclipsed by danger. After an accident, Dora seeks refuge in an abandoned factory; there, a group of workers have formed a village and a community bond that feels akin to the home Dora searches for, if just for a moment.

The first feature collaboration between Clarissa Campolina and Sérgio Borges, Suçuarana infuses the road-movie genre with ethereal magical realism, longing for a sense of belonging that is always just out of reach.