‘The Son of a Thousand Men’: passionate adaptation of Valter Hugo Mãe’s novel

The conception of the individual as a social being becomes broad and diffuse when it is realized that he or she will only be loved when integrated into some community or collective. This idea can be measured from two sides: one would be the structural and moral perspective that imposes precepts for decades and decades of orderly coexistence of a group or place; while the other, in analysis from a more psychic vision, reflects the feeling of abandonment and, consequently, loneliness emerging as something distressing. The Son of a Thousand Mena new national film produced by Netflix, manages to reveal the “wanting to belong” of these existing natures from a poetic and sensitive perspective.

Adaptation of the novel by the Portuguese writer Valter Hugo Mother, The Son of a Thousand Men tells several tales within a single story set in a small village near the sea, taking on the same theme: human loneliness and the search for belonging. Chrysostom (Rodrigo Santoro) is a 40-year-old fisherman who lives in a little beach house by the sea, with his lifelong dream of being a father. Caminhos places the fisherman next to Camilo (Miguel Martines), an 8-year-old boy who finds himself abandoned after the loss of all his relatives; Antonino (Johnny Massaro) is a village resident who suffers repression at home from his religious mother and the violence he has suffered due to his sexuality since childhood; Isaura (Rebeca Jamir) is caught between the irreversible effects of guilt and the trace of fear that made her repulsive to any direct interaction. All these characters are interconnected in their main theme, in which the base – divided into chapters – allows each of them, the core of their individual story, where, in the end, the dots will connect in a special way.

In this sense, it is important to highlight the process of transposition of literary work to cinemas by the hands of Daniel Rezendedirector and screenwriter of the film. Poetic and sublime in character, the novel offers an intimate approach to the characters, as we are drawn into an idyllic narrative immersed in sensitivity. Each protagonist presents a winding arc to face through the cruelties and uncertainties of life.

Thus, when the story is transitioned to the screen, one can notice the constant care and affection in operating the instruments present in the cinematography without losing even the slightest trace of the essence and roots of the book. In fact, the novel sets out on a more abstract journey towards a freer and more poetic depth, which the film uses as well – even modeling itself with few dialogues present – ​​but without leaving aside direct and expository issues. “Little of what he had was useful for his happiness” evokes both works, full of themselves in affirming the truth of their main creatures while specifying how sufficient they are when trying to cope with the feeling of abandonment of spirit or soul.

With this perspective, the division into seven chapters of The Son of a Thousand Men It differs from the twenty presented in the book, however there is no sign of any lack of material, with a lot of strength in each scene. There is a powerful poetic portrait in a flat look, in the same way, between the lines of each movement. It’s palpable.

Daniel Rezende’s direction is beautiful and seeks to translate the greatness and uniqueness of the source material, where you can notice a singular attention to each camera movement and the intention of seeking rawness and sensitivity in the same proportion. Known for having been an editor on films such as City of Godthe now director of Bingo – The King of Mornings e Monica’s Gang: Ties e Monica’s Gang: Lessons, he, this time, has on the job of assembling Marcelo Junqueira a great ally here. The Son of a Thousand Men it is stitched together in a non-linear way, and this non-chronological order is interesting as it serves as an engine for the guiding lines of the production, despite the intertwining of the stories that emerges in an organic and unexpected way, with a good work of technical fluidity in the work of Junqueira and Rezende. The photography direction of Serra Azul sounds impeccable in contrasting the dark environments with beams of light in the background, highlighting the characters’ sense of loneliness and almost abandonment, as well as highlighting the endless blue in Crisóstomo’s house, alluding to the sea.

Aligned in a melancholy space, the beings of The Son of a Thousand Men they are species in a trance of the human condition itself. For example, the impetus of wanting to be a father is attributed to Chrysostom in a way that mirrors desires, that is, sometimes in creating a rag doll to accompany him, sometimes when asking in the village if there are any children without a father, his desire presupposes the reason for possessing it. Because even though he is who he is, a peaceful fisherman, quiet and isolated from the environment, seen as strange, the great flame of fatherhood is still present in him. Perhaps recalling Geppetto and Pinocchio, we have Chrysostom and his puppet, similar purposes in distant aspects, but always leading him to the figure of the lost father who is within the living presence of his son, in this case, Camillus.

No less incisive are the stories of Camilo, Antonino and Isaura. The first has, even before he was born, a tragic story that comes from his mother Francisca (Juliana Caldas) through the people who raised him until he arrives, by chance, in Crisóstomo’s life. Being the one to whom the title refers, his discoveries and views are transformed when in contact with the figure of a possible new father. Johnny Massaro’s character is surrounded by a repressed life in the very village he lives in, a target of abuse and violence, called “sissy” by so many, he is also despised by his own mother, Matilde (Inez Viana), a religious fanatic. Antonino practices in looks the poignant pains of imprisonment, of not being able to be, or worse, of not belonging. Isaura is the representation of a young woman who is traumatized by the actions of life, and a completed act awakens in her the worst feelings that she will carry throughout her life. Isaura’s fears and sadness are largely due to the induction she had in her upbringing, “love ruins everything” is a phrase that always comes back to her mind, and personifies the trauma she experienced.

Due to this composition, we find four individuals who remain in this current. The poetics of Valter Hugo Mãe’s work never hid its synthesis of affection in mismatched beings, abandoned by life and found themselves in a common place. When their hands finally touch in history, we feel welcomed and like pieces of a suitable union.

The Son of a Thousand Men It is a great adaptation and a great film, the result of a lot of sensitivity and truth from its directors. At the end, as the credits rolled, we saw the words “Written, Directed and Dreamed by… “ “Produced and Dreamed by… “ which shows a little of the passionate vision of those involved. And just as the characters scream to relieve pain and feel hugged, I felt a similar hug with this film.