In 1963, in the village of Milagres in a very poor area of Brazil, a group of soldiers arrive to protect the store of a politician from a group of starving people. They have rifles for guarding the food and avoid the sacking by the population. One of the soldiers, completely drunken, kills a local in a dispute with his colleagues for killing a goat. The truck driver Gaúcho (Átila Iório) revolts against the passivity of a father that has just lost his little daughter, who died of starvation, and the pacific population that only prays and follows a preacher, and fights against the soldiers.
"Os Fuzis" is a Brazilian classic movie of a movement called "Cinema Novo" (which means New Cinema). "A camera in the hand and an idea in the head" was the slogan of the Brazilian filmmakers in the 60's, and they intended to make low budget movies with social concerns and rooted in the Brazilian culture. "Vidas Secas" (1963), of Nelson Pereira dos Santos, was the first film of this movement. "Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol", of Glauber Rocha, and "Os Fuzis", de Rui Guerra, also belong to the first phase of this movement, and explored the rural theme, approaching basic problems of the Brazilian society, such as the poverty and bad human conditions of the peasants of the Northeast of Brazil. In 1964, with the military coup d'êtat, the "Cinema Novo" directed the story lines to the urban society. It is amazing to see that in 2005, Brazil still has the same problems in the country as showed in this movie, in greater or lesser scale, such as poor, starving, illiterate and religious people; arid lands due to the dry climate and without irrigation; abuse against these person by the police or military forces; collectivism to protect these bad authorities; corrupt politicians and inoperative and demagogic government. This film was awarded with the "Silver Bear" in Berlin Festival. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Os Fuzis" ("The Rifles")
