The Hidden Star of the Sertão (2005)

Original title

A Estrela Oculta do Sertão

Directed by

Luize Valente, Elaine Eiger

Genre

documentary film

Country

Brazil

Rated

L

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary follows families in northeastern Brazil who secretly preserved Jewish customs for generations after forced conversions. It shows historians and researchers interviewing descendants as they explore their hidden religious heritage and identity.

reflectiveintrospectivecontemplativeeducationalquietearnestpersonalculturalhistoric

What happens

The Hidden Star of the Sertão (in Portuguese, A Estrela Oculta do Sertão) is a 2005 Brazilian documentary directed by photographer Elaine Eiger and the journalist Luize Valente. The central theme of the documentary is the crypto-jewish practices maintained by some families in the semi-arid northeast of Brazil (the Sertão) together with the search for their religious identity for many converts from the moment they have become aware of their origins. The documentary presents interviews and part of the research work of the historian of the University of São Paulo, Anita Novinsky, who is considered a leading authority on the subject of the Inquisition in Brazil, the genealogist Paulo Valadares, and the anthropologist of the Collège de France, Nathan Wachtel. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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