Private Desert / Deserto Particular by Aly Muritiba has been announced by the Brazilian Film Academy as this year’s Brazilian Oscar candidate. The road movie drama recently had its world premiere at Venice Days, the independent parallel sidebar at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
Starring Antonio Saboia and Pedro Fasanaro, Private Desert follows 40-year-old Daniel, who has been suspended from active police work and is under internal investigation for violence. When Sara, his internet love affair, stops answering his texts he decides to drive north in search of her, starting on what is apparently a fool's errand. He shows Sara's picture around, but nobody seems to recognize the woman. until eventually one guy pops up, saying he can put the two in touch under very specific conditions.
Private Desert beat out other strong contenders including Alexandre Moratto’s 7 Prisoners, Lázaro Ramos’ Executive Order, and The Last Forest by Luiz Bolognesi. The selection committee was comprised by filmmakers Deberton, Belisário Franca and Felipe Lacerda, producers Paula Barreto and Leonardo Edde, actress Virginia Cavendish and film critic Luiz Zanin Oricchio.
