Keeper of Promises
Encyclopedia
O Pagador de Promessas is a 1962 Brazilian drama film
directed by Anselmo Duarte.
Duarte, who was also one of the film's producers, adapted the screenplay himself from the famous stage play written by Dias Gomes
. It won the Palme d'Or
at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival
, becoming the first (and only, to date) Brazilian film to achieve such a feat. A year later, it also became the first Brazilian and South America
n film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
.
) is a landowner from Nordeste
. His best friend is a donkey
. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé promises to a Candomblé
priestess
that if his donkey recovers, he will give away his land to the poor and carry a cross all the way from his farm to the Saint Bárbara
Church in Salvador
, Bahia
, where he will offer the cross to the local priest. Upon the recovery of his donkey, Zé leaves on his journey. The movie begins as Zé, followed by his wife Rosa (Glória Menezes
), arrives outside the church. The local priest (Dionísio Azevedo) refuses to accept the cross once he hears about Zé's "pagan" pledge and the reasons behind it. Everyone attempts to manipulate the innocent and naïve Zé. The local Candomblé worshippers, for example, want to use him as a leader against the discrimination they suffer from the Roman Catholic Church
. The sensationalist newspapers transform his promise to give away his land into a "communist" call for land reform
(which still is a very controversial issue in Brazil). When Zé is shot by the police to prevent his way into the church, the Candomblé worshippers put his dead body on the cross and force their way into the church.
Cannes Film Festival
Cartagena Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Anselmo Duarte.
Duarte, who was also one of the film's producers, adapted the screenplay himself from the famous stage play written by Dias Gomes
Dias Gomes
Alfredo de Freitas Dias Gomes was an important Brazilian playwright.He was born on October 19, 1922 in Salvador, Bahia and died in a car accident in São Paulo, in 1999. He started writing plays at age 15 and later wrote soap operas. He wrote the first ever colored soap opera in Brazilian...
. It won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival
1962 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*Tetsuro Furukaki *Henry Deutschmeister *Sophie Desmarets *Jean Dutourd *Mel Ferrer *Romain Gary *Jerzy Kawalerowicz *Ernst Krüger...
, becoming the first (and only, to date) Brazilian film to achieve such a feat. A year later, it also became the first Brazilian and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
.
Plot
Zé do Burro (Leonardo VillarLeonardo Villar
Leonardo Villar is a Brazilian actor. He became internationally known for his performance as Zé do Burro in Anselmo Duarte's O Pagador de Promessas, the only Brazilian film so far awarded with a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival....
) is a landowner from Nordeste
Northeast Region, Brazil
The Northeast Region of Brazil is composed of the following states: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia, and it represents 18.26% of the Brazilian territory....
. His best friend is a donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé promises to a Candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
priestess
Mãe-de-santo
A Mãe-de-santo is a priestess in Umbanda, Candomblé and other African-Brazilian religions. In Portuguese those words means mother of saint, which is a improper translation from the Yoruba language word "iyalorishá", a title given to priest women in African religions. Iyá means mother, and the...
that if his donkey recovers, he will give away his land to the poor and carry a cross all the way from his farm to the Saint Bárbara
Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara, , Feast Day December 4, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr....
Church in Salvador
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, where he will offer the cross to the local priest. Upon the recovery of his donkey, Zé leaves on his journey. The movie begins as Zé, followed by his wife Rosa (Glória Menezes
Glória Menezes
Nicelde Soares Magalhães, known as Glória Menezes, is a Brazilian actress.- Filmography :* A Favorita - Irene*A estranha Clementine - Clementine...
), arrives outside the church. The local priest (Dionísio Azevedo) refuses to accept the cross once he hears about Zé's "pagan" pledge and the reasons behind it. Everyone attempts to manipulate the innocent and naïve Zé. The local Candomblé worshippers, for example, want to use him as a leader against the discrimination they suffer from the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The sensationalist newspapers transform his promise to give away his land into a "communist" call for land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
(which still is a very controversial issue in Brazil). When Zé is shot by the police to prevent his way into the church, the Candomblé worshippers put his dead body on the cross and force their way into the church.
Main cast
- Leonardo VillarLeonardo VillarLeonardo Villar is a Brazilian actor. He became internationally known for his performance as Zé do Burro in Anselmo Duarte's O Pagador de Promessas, the only Brazilian film so far awarded with a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival....
as Zé do Burro (Donkey Jack) - Glória MenezesGlória MenezesNicelde Soares Magalhães, known as Glória Menezes, is a Brazilian actress.- Filmography :* A Favorita - Irene*A estranha Clementine - Clementine...
as Rosa, Zé's wife - Dionísio Azevedo as Olavo, the priest
- Geraldo Del ReyGeraldo Del ReyGeraldo Del Rey was a Brazilian actor. He appeared in 65 films and television shows between 1950 and 1992.-Selected filmography:* O Pagador de Promessas * Black God, White Devil...
as Bonitão (Handsome) - Norma BengellNorma BengellNorma Aparecida Almeida Pinto Guimarães D´Áurea Bengell , best known as Norma Bengell, is a Brazilian film and television actress, singer, director, producer, and screenwriter....
as Marly, the prostitute - Othon BastosOthon BastosOthon Bastos is a Brazilian film actor. He has appeared in 50 films since 1962.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
as the Reporter - Antônio Pitanga as Coca, the capoeiraCapoeiraCapoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences, probably beginning in the 16th century...
player
Awards and nominations
Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
- Best Foreign Language FilmAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language FilmThe Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
(nominated)
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
- Palme d'OrPalme d'OrThe Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
– Anselmo Duarte (won)
Cartagena Film Festival
Cartagena Film Festival
The Cartagena Film Festival, or Festival Internacional de Cine y T.V. de Cartagena de Indias. is a Colombian film festival which focuses on the promotion of Colombian television programs, Latin American films, and videos...
- Special Jury Prize – Anselmo Duarte (won)
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
- Golden Gate Award for Best Film – Anselmo Duarte (won)
- Golden Gate Award for Best Musical Score – Gabriel Migliori (won)
See also
- List of submissions to the 35th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film