Films › Cinematography
Black God, White Devil
Directed by Glauber Rocha, 1964
Glauber Rocha and cinematographer Waldemar Lima shoot the Brazilian sertao in unforgiving high-contrast black and white, using deep focus wide shots that flatten actors against cracked earth so landscape itself becomes an oppressive character rather than backdrop. Rocha's camera moves in sudden whip pans and handheld lurches during violence or religious ecstasy, breaking from the otherwise static, painterly compositions of quieter scenes, a rupture embodying Cinema Novo's aesthetics of hunger. Natural sunlight is used at its harshest, overexposing skies to bleach them white, a deliberate choice over conventional exposure to make the drought-stricken setting feel physically punishing. Blocking often places figures at the frame's edge or in extreme long shot, denying the close identification classical staging would provide, forcing viewers to read allegory into physical space instead of faces. For cinematographers working in harsh natural light, this film is essential for turning technical limitation, unforgiving sun and dust, into the film's entire visual argument rather than fighting to neutralize it.
What to watch for
Watch for the abrupt shift from static wide shots to frantic handheld camera whenever religious or violent frenzy erupts.
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