Documentary in Bloom
/Monday, March 18th-Sunday, March 24th, 7:30pm
(Friday, March 22nd at 4:00pm only)
Documentary in Bloom
(Curated by Livia Bloom)
108 (Cuchillo de Palo)
U.S. Theatrical Premiere
Renate Costa Perdomo, 2010, 91 min.
When Rodolfo Costa was found naked on the floor of his home in Paraguay, he
had been dead for days. He also had a secret fortune, a secret alias—Héctor Torres—and an entirely secret life. In a powerful debut feature that unfolds like a mystery novel, director Renate Costa Perdomo investigates the shadowy circumstances of Rodolfo's death. Witnesses and clues gradually reveal Rodolfo's true identity as a persecuted gay man and his encounter with the terrifying "108" homosexual blacklists that ruined lives, careers, and families.
"Critic's Pick! The style is simple but the emotions highly sophisticated...Patiently photographed by Carlos Vasquez, 108 peels back layers of delusion and dishonesty." —Jeannette Catsoulis,
The New York Times
"9/10 Stars! An extraordinary documentary...The film reveals how such history comes to be repressed. It’s frightening to contemplate, certainly, and also shapes your understanding of the world, your place in it, and your capacity to affect it." —Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters
"Full of quiet artistry...Costa understands the power of awkward silences, holding the camera to explore discomfort and her own accusatory gaze. Even when discussing the horrors of the dictatorship, she maintains an unwavering calm that cuts through the hedging and the calculated avoidance of larger issues—hers is a selfless righteousness that nevertheless confronts her personal history." —Jay Weissberg, Variety
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVQyiGCu9ZU
Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ref/17367/event/316611