Video: Tower

Four siblings, whose father disappeared during the Brazilian Military Dictatorship, remember their childhood during the regime.

From 1964 to 1985, Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship. Hundreds of dissidents either went missing or were killed in secret, and more than 20,000 people were tortured. This animated documentary from the Brazilian director Nádia Mangolini mines the memories the four Gomes da Silva siblings whose father went missing and whose mother was imprisoned in a tower during this period of political tumult. As each sibling in ascending order of age recounts individual memories of their parents, their disappearances and the family’s exile to Cuba and Chile, the film shifts between visual styles, building in detail with each narrative. Combining accomplished animated artistry with powerful storytelling, the resulting film is a poignant exploration of the vast powers and even vaster ambiguities of childhood memories.

Director: Nádia Mangolini

Website: Estúdio Teremim

Text: Aeon

Quatro irmãos, filhos de Virgílio Gomes da Silva, o primeiro desaparecido político da ditadura militar brasileira, contam relatam suas infâncias durante o regime.

Isabel Gomes da Silva
Gregório Gomes da Silva
Virgílio Gomes da Silva Filho
Vlademir Gomes da Silva
Ilda Martins da Silva

This film has won a number of international awards including: Grand Prize Meknés Animation Film Festival; Best Film Gramado Film Festival; Best Film Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival; and Best short, Best art direction, Best soundtrack, Best sound design Guarnicê Film Festival.

In Portuguese with English subtitles

Running time: 18 minutes

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