THE SOUL OF THE BONE

Dominguinhos is a 72-year-old hermit who lives inside a cave that juts off from a rock mountain. Silence is commonplace in his life, the normal state in which time passes, as he executes his daily chores, such as cooking and cleaning.

Words are largely absent from Cao Guimarães’ document of hermetic life, where the soundscape of everyday rituals comes from ordinary acts of scavenging. As the camera gazes upon an opening flower bud or the floating clouds, the film hints at a spiritual reality that exists beyond material living.