Episode 10: Ela Bittencourt in Brazil

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, a podcast where we reach out to friends to talk about what we’ve been watching. It’s as simple as that. Joining Nicolas Rapold this time is Brazil-based critic and programmer Ela Bittencourt. We’ve worked with Ela on a number of articles, and her most recent project was the Venice Days program at the upcoming Venice film festival. Documentary was the focus of our conversation, ranging from a new Iranian film about a prison for women and girls, Sunless Shadows, to an early feature by Errol Morris called Vernon, Florida. We also discussed Agnès Varda’s groundbreaking debut La Pointe Courte; a fascinating film about visual culture and personal perceptions, The Viewing Booth; Kim Longinotto’s Divorce Iranian Style; and Again Once Again by Argentine author Romina Paula. Also mentioned are the instant barroom classic Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, and the landmark work of Portuguese director Paolo Rocha. Photo by Steve Snodgrass