Birdwatchers Cinema Review

Marco Bechis’ film Birdwatchers explores some of the complexities and issues facing indigenous people living in Brazil today.

Although a fictional dramatisation much of the film is grounded on very real issues and problems facing the Guarani-Kaiowa people who live around the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Guarani were among the first people that the first Europeans saw when they first arrived in South America. Around that time there were estimated around 1.5 million living in modern day Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina. Today the largest surviving group of Kaiowa number just 30,000.

Ironically the area of Mato Grosso meaning ‘thick forest’ has very little real forest left. The once vast lush rain forest now decimated and transformed by modern production.

The film highlights how the Guarani-Kaiowa with little land to sustain their communities face a constant struggle between their inherited traditional spiritual values and having to interact with modern society out of pure necessity. Like many indigenous or native inhabitants around the world what is at stake is a way of live, of identity and how this comes into conflict with landowners differing values. The growth of GM fields may be justified on grounds of efficiency and production to organisations but to native inhabitants their very existence, coupled to the fact that they consider the ground scared as their forefathers were buried there, is an affront to something they cherish dearly. Subtleties like the group’s head man’s attitude of defiance against the womens more pragmatic approach and the relationship of the young pair Osvaldo the young shaman apprentice and Maria the farmers daughter and also of inter group relationships are also nicely explored.

Another issue that Birdwatchers brings to the fore is the problem of suicide particularly among the young of the Guarani-Kaiowa as they come to terms with the harsh realities of a gloomy existence where there appears no hope for the future. This is counter balanced with the carefree life of plenty experienced by the children of wealthy landowners.

In casting the film director Marco Bechi decided on the bold move to use only native men and women to play the Guarani-Kaiowa main roles, supporting roles and as extras. Given the circumstances the performances in the film are naturalistic and competent.

While highlighting serious issues concerning indigenous people in Brazil Birdwatching is also an enjoyable and thought provoking movie. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion award at last year’s Venice film festival and should continue to attract audiences and well deserved recognition.