The Possibility of Spirits

‘The Possibility of Spirits ‘is an essay film about spirit possession in Bahia, Brazil. In a poetic assemblage of images and words, it neither exoticizes the subject nor extinguishes the mystery of it with scientific explanation. We witness intimate encounters with spirit worshippers and possession ceremonies filmed in close-up. Paying tribute to the extraordinary character of the subject, this film invites viewers to be confused and - in that confusion - consider the possibility of spirits.

Mattijs van de Port (Netherlands)
Brazil | 2016 | 71 min
Portuguese spoken, English subtitled

Mattijs van de Port is professor of anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. He did research in Bahia, Brazil on global encounters on the threshold of candomblé temples. ‘The Possibility of Spirits’ is his second documentary and uses footage from six years of filming in Bahia.