“A documentary that feels acutely, even eccentrically, personal, but never navel-gazing.”—Guy Lodge, Variety

"As always with Kleber Mendonça Filho, to reflect reality isn’t enough, as cinema has to find its own truth, even if it takes some imagination to get there."—Brad Hanford, Slant Magazine

"[An] extremely charming personal survey of the grand picture palaces of Recife." —David Jenkins, Little White Lies

Brazil’s official selection for the 2024 Academy Awards, Pictures of Ghosts, from acclaimed director Kleber Mendonca Filho (Bacurau, Aquarius), is a multidimensional journey through time, sound, architecture and filmmaking, set in the urban landscape of Recife, Brazilian coastal capital of Pernambuco: a historical and human territory, examined through the great movie theaters that served as spaces of conviviality during the 20th century. Having hosted dreams and progress, these places have also embodied a major transformation on social practices. Combining archive documentary, mystery, film clips and personal memories, Pictures of Ghosts is a map of a city through the lens of cinema.