João Moreira Salles Examines Utopian Dreams and Their Aftermath in New Documentary

João Moreira Salles returns to filmmaking after a decade with 'No Intenso Agora,' a documentary reflecting on the construction and unraveling of utopias. The film uses personal archival footage shot by his mother, Eliza Gonçalves, during a 1966 trip to China at the start of the Cultural Revolution. This material is intercut with images from May 1968 in Paris, the Prague Spring, and Brazil's military dictatorship, connected by the director's first-person narration. Salles explores the intense feeling of witnessing unique historical moments, drawing parallels between his mother's apolitical wonder and the politically charged collective passion of 1968. The film also examines the 'post-utopian hangover,' questioning how individuals return to banal daily life after such intensity. It features analysis of imagery, noting how social hierarchies are embedded in photographs, and cites influences from Brazilian filmmakers Eduardo Coutinho and Eduardo Escorel. 'No Intenso Agora' was shown at the Berlin festival and É Tudo Verdade, though it lacks a definitive release date. Salles's previous film was 'Santiago' in 2007.