A creative adaptation from a classic story

For those about to watch this short film adaptation from Álvares de Azevedo novel expecting to get a full view of the story and/or are in desperate need to cheat a literature exam, my advice is: read the book. The film by Yghor Boy only covers one of the many short stories told by a group of friends at a tavern, and here even the famous author becomes part of the piece himself.

In it, Álvares (Victor Mendes) confides to a friend that he's finishing his writings and he needs some input on it. The story is the segment Johann (played by Sergio Siviero), a man who duels with another one (Ricardo Merini) after some misunderstanding during a pool game.

One loses, one wins but as the night progresses a series of darker events will prove that winning sometimes isn't the best thing.

It's a quite twisted story with some great use of dark humor elements, and there's even countless of convention breaks since the author is part of the story. Another great thing about its presentation is that though the story takes place in the 19th Century, the real streets of São Paulo from the historical center are presented as they are today, no art-direction used to go back in time; instead, the director films on historical locations, late at night so you don't even notice the more recent constructions. It all feels very authentic.

I won't do much criticism about the story except that it's a very tense thing - I read the book way back in time and don't feel the need to revisit. But from the summary I read it can be said the film follows exactly the series of events without altering much facts. Also worthy of praise is the amazingly group of young actors gathered here, they're all great. Definitely one of the sweetest surprises I've seen this year. 8/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Writer Álvares de Azevedo is about to finish his first book, a short story anthology, and he shares with a friend one of the many stories he's developing. The story of two men who duel with each other after some mishaps during a pool game and a series of other violent events will mark one of those men.

Sergio Siviero and Ricardo Merini in Noite na Taverna (2014)

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Johann reads Arthur's letters in front of the theatre.

Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Ricardo Merini in Noite na Taverna (2014)

Sergio Siviero in Noite na Taverna (2014)

Noite na Taverna

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