Canuto's Transformation
by Ariel Kuaray Ortega and Ernesto de Carvalho







CANUTO'S TRANSFORMATION
2023 / Portuguese, Guarani and Spanish / Drama / 130 min / 2K / Color
Enquadramento Produções | Vídeo nas Aldeias
DIRECTOR Ariel Kuaray Ortega and Ernesto de Carvalho
WRITER Ariel Kuaray Ortega, Ernesto de Carvalho, Miguel Antunes Ramos, Patrícia Ferreira and Ralf Ortega
PRODUCER Leonardo Mecchi, Vincent Carelli and Ernesto de Carvalho
CINEMATOGRAPHER Camila Freitas
EDITOR Ernesto de Carvalho and Tita
CAST Álvaro Benitez, Thiny Ramirez, Ariel Kuaray Ortega
SELECTIONS AND AWARDS
IDFA – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Best Film
Outstanding Artistic Contribution
Festival de Brasília (Brazil)
SYNOPSIS
In a small Mbyá-Guarani community between Brazil and Argentina, everyone knows the name Canuto: a man who many years ago suffered the dreaded transformation into a Jaguar and then died tragically. Now, a film is being made to tell his story. Why did this happen to him? But more importantly: who in the village should play his role?
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Ariel Ortega is a pioneer indigenous filmmaker and Mbyá-Guarani leader behind celebrated films such as “Two villages one path” (2008) and "Nhanderú’s Bicycles” (2010) alongside other Guarani indigenous filmmakers, through Vídeo has Aldeias (“Video in the Villages”) workshops, and also "Guarani Exile” (2011) and "Tava - the house of stone (2012)" directed alongside Ernesto de Carvalho, Patrícia Yxapy Ferreira, and Vincent Carelli. Ariel is a member of the Mbyá- Guarani Cinema Collective (Brazil) and the Ara Pyau Cinema Collective (Argentina). Also directed the short film “Our Spirits Keep Coming”(2021) with Bruno Huyer and Patrícia Yxapy Ferreira.
Ernesto de Carvalho is a Brazilian filmmaker, photographer, and editor, with an Anthropology Ph.D. from New York University, has collaborated with Mbyá-Guarani communities on films for over 15 years through the Vídeo nas Aldeias project. Co-director and photographer of the celebrated feature documentary “Martírio” (2016), winner of many international prizes. Ran workshops that produced several indigenous films such as “I've Already Become an Image” (2008). Directed alongside Ariel Ortega, Patricia Yxapy Ferreira, and Vincent Carelli the films “Guarani Exile” (2011) and "Tava - the House of Stone” (2012). Also directed the acclaimed short film “It’s Never Nighttime in the Map” (2016).