“As Cinzas de Deus is a visual poem in a universe of realities. Set in the ruins of an abandoned, once grandiose 19th century city in Brazil, the film follows a woman returning to a world of memory and feeling, where characters – perhaps ‘trapped souls’ – are living and re-living moments from an unspecified past. In search for answers and completion she penetrates their dream-like reality, absorbs them, challenges them, releases them. Their memory bank gradually erased, they disappear into the ether. In a climactic finale she confronts her own personal nemesis. She survives the life-and-death confrontation, and, left behind, she dances alone, immersed in dust and eternity.”

“Devastatingly beautiful”
The Barbican

“One of the most important landmarks in dance film.”
The Oxford Handbook of Screendance Studies

“Intense, flashbacking and highly stylised dance drama.”
BBC

“Stupendous. A sizzling and beautiful feature film. The performance embodies the teachings of spiritual theatre giant Grotowski. Striking”
Time Out – Critic’s Choice

The film’s haunting musical journey, mixed by arguably France’s premier producer and pioneer of triphop Kid Loco, contains music by René Aubry, André Minvielle, A Silver Mt Zion, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Lepo Sumera, Kid Loco and rare South-American boleros. The sound design, supervised by Academy-Award® and multiple BAFTA winner Glenn Freemantle (‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Gravity’), was re-recorded in Dolby Digital at Pinewood Studios.

“The film creates a new aesthetic, magnificently interpreted by the dancers”
O Estado de Minas

“Scenes of great beauty and strong emotional content. A pioneering work”
Correio da Bahia

“Ashes of God still amazes audiences today.”
Cent Magazine

Production Company: Maverick Motion Ltd in association with Zikzira Physical Theatre
Co-producer: Swiss TV DRS
Performers: Heloisa Domingues, Tuca Pinheiro, Ricardo de Paula Marise Dinis, Jacqueline Gimenes
Choreography: Fernanda Lippi
Director: Andre Semenza
Director of Photography: Marcus Waterloo
Executive Producer: Giorgio Semenza
Producers: Andre Semenza, Fernanda Lippi
Production Manager and Artistic Consultant: Ligia Lippi
Production Supervisior: Eduardo Andrade Production Coordinator: Rodrigo Signoretti
Editor: Simon Sykes
Music mix: Kid Loco
Music: Rene Aubry, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Veljo Tormis, Lepo Sumero, A Silver Mt. Zion, Kid Loco, Rosalina de Agricola, Leo Marini, Hugo Romani a.o.
Costumes: Marney Heitmann Make-up: Elizinha Silva
Sound Supervisor: Glenn Freemantle Sound Editing: Tom Sayers
Re-recording Mixer: Brendan Nicholson, Pinewood Studios
Website design: Andy Dockett Press person: Marcia Reikdal
Production Stills: Fabio Cançado Additional Photography Andre Semenza

73 min, 35mm
51’36” (TV)
© Maverick Motion Ltd 2003