Drained

Brazilian cinema comes to the forefront as OFFscreen closes its fall season with Drained (Cheiro do Ralo).  Winner of numerous awards in Latin America, Drained follows the often grotesque interaction of a pawnshop owner and his customers.  The film is a fresh commentary on Brazil's problems new and old, as the country looks to finally fulfill its immense economic potential.  The film is based on a novel by Lourenco Mutarelli, a Brazilian writer noted for his work in the underground comics scene.  Director Heitor Dhalia compares Mutarelli to the American graphic novelist Robert Crumb (subject of his own interesting biopic, American Splendor) in this interview in The Filmlot. Mutarelli's website (in Portuguese) gives some nice insights into his style and the variety of his work.  

Trailer

We hope to see you Sunday evening, and thanks to everyone who came out for a great semester.  

Also, make sure to check out the last film in the Abderrahmne Sissako retrospective this Monday.