Film CINEMA NOVO AND BEYOND THE ASSAULT ON THE PAY TRAIN THE GIVEN WORD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1999 $6 ($3 WALKER MEMBERS) AUDITORIUM MEMBERS PAY HALF PRICE!

THE ASSAULT ON THE PAY TRAIN
(ASSALTO AO TREM TAGADOR)
7 PM
Directed by Roberto Farias
Based in part on actual events, The Assault on the Pay Train blends elements of film noir with a classic Cinema Novo focus on life in the favela (urban slum). Roberto Farias creates a carefully textured portrait of an unlikely gang of thieves, whose actions emerge from a mixture of social commitment and practical needs. The result is a vivid work that delivers on its generic promise--plenty of night shooting and car chases--while situating this action within a specific social context. 1962, Brazil, 99 minutes.

THE GIVEN WORD
(O PAGADOR DE PROMESSAS)
8:45 PM
Directed by Anselmo Duarte
A key film in the so-called "Bahian Renaissance," when Cinema Novo filmmakers rediscovered the Afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia, The Given Word is a compelling examination of faith and intolerance. Adapted from the Dias Gomes play, the film chronicles the plight of a farmer, who in gratitude for the miraculous cure of his donkey, vows to carry a cross to a distant church, where he is denied entry. The resulting conflict between a diverse group of sympathetic locals and church officials transforms the film into a potent political allegory, which led to its winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes and its being banned in both Italy and Spain. 1962, Brazil, 95 minutes.