We have long admired the cinema of Brazilian filmmaker Gabriel Mascaro. His films amplify the social frictions embedded within systems that quietly erode personal freedom, crafting works that feel both observational and subtly political. Working with themes of freedom and institutional control, aging with dignity in a society that often renders the elderly invisible, and the idea that self-determination and community — even unexpected solidarity — can coexist, in The Blue Trail (O Último Azul), Denise Weinberg plays Tereza, inhabiting a sliver of dystopia as a woman who first confronts, and then begins to navigate her way out of, the rules imposed upon her by society — revealing self-determination in its purest form.
Mascaro truly shot out of the cinema cannon with his sophomore feature in 2015’s sensual Neon Bull (a Venice Film Festival selection – read review) and after premiering and landing the Silver Berlin Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale, I had the chance to speak to the Recife based filmmaker at last year’s Toronto intl. Film Festival where we discussed the period of time directly after he premiered his previous film in 2019’s Divine Love (read review), the choice of the aspect ratio, and the meshing of ideas of hope and dystopia in this film. The Dekanalog folks release The Blue Trail (read review) theatrically in Los Angeles and New York and will expand to over cities in the weeks to come. Here is our sit down:
