Original subtitles

In 2012, this feature was remastered in SD for DVD reproduction.

In 2021, it was restored in 24-bit and 4K

from its original sound and image negatives

stored at the Cinemateca Brasileira.

The entire process was conducted in Brazil.

"BLACK GOD, WHITE DEVIL"

PRODUCED BY

ASSISTANT DIRECTORS

LINE PRODUCER

MUSIC BY

SONGS BY

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS

CINEMATOGRAPHY

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY

Manoel and Rosa

Lived in the back lands

Working the land

With their own hands

Until one day

One way or another

The Saint Sebastião

Came into their lives

He brought kindness in his eyes

And Jesus Christ in his heart

The sheep that stray

Wander lost in pastures

Looking for their flock

And the Good Lord

Looking for their flock

And the Good Lord

I wish to leave this world

With my sad fate

Looking for His flock

And the Good Lord

Looking for His flock

And the Good Lord

Rosa, I saw Saint Sebastião.

He said a miracle is coming to save the world.

Many people were following him, singing and praying.

Mother won't believe me either.

But I saw him!

He looked deep into my eyes.

It's a miracle, Rosa, a miracle.

Rosa, on Saturday I'll go to the market.

Split the cattle with Moraes.

Maybe I can sell two cows...

and buy a piece of land from him.

If it works out, we can plant something...

and have our own harvest next year.

It's no use.

I don't know. Times are bad.

Heaven might send us a miracle.

Yes, Rosa, maybe there'll be a miracle.

Sebastião was born in fire In the month of February

Warning folks That damnation would end the world

And that he could save those By his side

For he was a saint and miracle worker

For he was a saint And miracle worker

For he was a saint and miracle worker

Sebastião was born in fire In the month of February

Warning folks That damnation would end the world

And that he could save those By his side

For he was a saint and miracle worker

For he was a saint And miracle worker

For he was a saint and miracle worker

- Morning, boss. - Good morning.

The cows are here, but four of them are dead.

Did they drink water from the North well?

Yes, sir, it was the only place.

They were bitten by snakes.

I brought 12 cows.

We can settle our accounts.

There's nothing to settle, the dead cows were all yours.

But, Mr. Moraes, the cows had your brand on them.

They couldn't be mine. I'm a poor man.

It was bad luck, but it's true.

The snakes bit your cows.

Don't argue! The law is on my side.

Excuse me, Mr. Moraes, but which law is that?

- Are you arguing with me? - No, sir.

But what's this law which doesn't protect what's mine?

I've already told you, you're entitled to nothing.

But, Mr. Moraes...

- You can't take what's mine. - Are you calling me a thief?

You said it yourself!

This is so you'll learn!

My son, your mother is dead

Not by God's hand

By a mercenary's gun

During a fight in the back lands

My son, your mother is dead

Not by God's hand

I knew it, Rosa.

You didn't believe me,

but it was the hand of God leading me to the Devil.

We'll have to go to Monte Santo

and ask for Sebastião's protection.

Come on now...

we've nothing to take with us but our fate.

It was Don Pedro Álvares who discovered Brazil

and made these steps built of stone and blood.

This pilgrimage to Monte Santo

will open the gates of Heaven

to the bodies and souls of the innocent.

I have walked from village to village...

telling everyone fire will sprout from the rocks...

to burn the world.

The lords of this land,

the authorities and the farmers,

they all said I was lying

and that the sun was to blame for this disaster.

Last year, I said we'd have 100 days without rain

and we had them!

Now I tell you...

on the other side of this holy mountain...

there is a bountiful land.

The horses eat flowers.

Children drink milk out of the rivers.

Men eat rocks that turn into bread.

Dust becomes flour.

There's water and food, the abundance of Heaven.

And every day when the sun rises,

Jesus Christ and the Virgin can be seen.

And Saint George.

And my Saint Sebastian,

his chest bristling with arrows.

We must show those who own the land...

the power and strength of the Saint.

They removed Dom Pedro from his throne

and now want to kill those who love the Emperor.

But those who wish to save their souls

must follow me from now on

until the day when God's sign appears in the sun.

A hundred angels, with their swords of fire,

shall come to herald our departure

and open our way through the paths of these back lands.

The land will become the sea and the sea will become land.

A man shouldn't be another man's slave.

He must leave the land that doesn't belong to him,

so that he can reach the fields of Heaven.

The poor will be rich

and will sit on the right side of God.

The rich will be poor

in the depths of Hell.

We'll not be alone, because the Lord has sent down

a warring angel, to cut off the heads of our enemies.

I'm condemned, but I have courage.

I pledge my strength to you, so you can free my people.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

The Lord be praised.

Bless me, bless me.

Make way!

Ave Maria!

Ave Maria!

Have you forgotten me?

I don't remember anything.

Neither night nor day.

We lived together.

Back at the farm.

We've been here in Monte Santo for a long time.

You followed Sebastião and left me behind.

I have to be alone to reach the sacred island.

I must leave behind wife and child.

We'll stay one year in Monte Santo,

waiting for a golden rain.

Then we'll go to an island in the middle of the sea...

and we'll let the fire from the sky burn

this disgraceful republic, once and for all.

The island doesn't exist.

We carry it inside our souls.

If it doesn't exist,

why must we search for it all our lives?

You have come to be my strength in peace and war.

You must fight for me.

You must fight for me.

- The island doesn't exist. - Yes, it does.

I saw it at the bottom of the river.

Sebastião said the island doesn't exist

and that we must live in suffering.

I was behind you. I heard everything.

You're lying.

You and all the others are faithless and damned,

but I'm going to survive and be king.

My cattle will graze in a green pasture.

That's a dream, Manoel.

The earth is dry and will never bear any fruit.

Why run away with nothing but hope?

Let us leave this place and make a living elsewhere...

before the army arrives...

and does the same as they did in Canudos...

killing men, women and children.

If there is a war,

I'll fight a thousand soldiers with Saint George's spear.

If the Saint's followers die, I'll create the island.

You will die. I will die.

No one will escape.

Fate is greater than death.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou amongst women, blessed is the fruit.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

There's gold in the sea beyond.

- Rocks turn into bread... - There's nothing!

- ...and horses eat flowers. - Just fire and death!

You walk in the dark, Rosa!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

Come back, Manoel! Manoel, come back! Manoel!

Come back, Manoel!

Forsaken by ten churches

Without a holy protector

There goes Antônio das Mortes

The killer of bandits

Since Sebastião came, the church has earned nothing

from baptisms or weddings.

Sebastião is harmful to both farmers...

and the Church.

The government won't help us.

I always said we have two laws here:

the law of the government and the law of the bullet.

I never settled an election through voting.

If the strong don't unite, they'll destroy everything.

Killing a bandit is risky, but it's easy.

We all remember the war in Canudos.

The troops came in to fight Conselheiro's faithful.

We all thought it'd be easy and we had a war.

His men fought with faith.

We mustn't let Sebastião become another Conselheiro.

Personally, I'm not afraid of war.

I've always lived in it.

But you know it's dangerous to interfere in holy matters.

Sebastião is an enemy of the church.

But the people around him are Christians.

I haven't seen it for myself,

but apparently he can work miracles.

Well, now...

only you can do this.

We'll give you 300 to rid us of the beatified.

Christ drove moneylenders out of His temple with a whip.

There is precedent in the Gospel.

So, Antonio? Do you accept?

Three hundred bucks.

A lot of money.

But too little to warrant a place in Hell.

The priest thinks Sebastião has a pact with the Devil.

But I think he has a pact with God, too.

Killer, Killer

Killer of bandits

Killer, Killer

Killer of bandits

Leave this place when you're done.

Buy a farm, and live your life in peace.

This is your penitence, Antonio.

It is only when you commit a greater crime

that smaller ones can be forgiven.

Six hundred bucks.

That's twice what they offered you before.

Tell them to rest easy.

Sebastião is finished.

From here,

I can see the sea and then the Promised Land.

God separated the earth from the sky.

But that's wrong.

When I separate them again, the island will be visible to all.

There will be happiness, Rosa.

After the back lands, the seal!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou and blessed is the fruit...

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners...

The sun is made of gold! The sun is made of gold!

You must choose.

Go down there.

Bring your wife and a child.

Only after Rosa's soul is washed will you be clean.

To govern the island, to govern the island.

Rosa...

My wife has the devil in her!

That's a lie! That's a lie!

Tomorrow a golden rain will fall.

The land will become sea...

and the sea will become land!

We can get to the island...

if we cleanse the souls of sinners

with the blood of the innocent.

I need to cleanse the sinners

with the blood of the innocent.

With the blood of the innocent.

I need to cleanse the sinners

with the blood of the innocent.

Now I see the island.

Now I see the island.

The island is real.

The horses will eat flowers.

The children will drink from the river.

The island is real.

The island is real.

Now I see the island.

The island.

The island of my godfather, Sebastião.

The island is real.

But I can't avenge the death of Christ

with the blood of the innocent.

I can't avenge the death of Christ with the blood of the innocent.

I can't.

I can't avenge the death of Christ with the blood of the innocent.

No!

Why does one suffer until the end?

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

Why does one suffer until the end?

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

with the blood of the innocent.

Why does one suffer until the end?

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

The island is real.

Why does one suffer until the end?

I can't avenge the death of Christ...

Godfather Sebastião! Godfather Sebastião!

Killer of bandits

Good morning. I am Antônio das Mortes.

They all died happy. They were praying.

I didn't want to kill them, but I had to.

I spared two, to tell the tale.

And Sebastião?

Sebastião...

They killed him.

The people killed the Saint!

On the mount of Monte Santo

Only Manoel survived

By the mercy of Antonio

The killer of bandits

Our story continues Now, people, pay attention

Manoel and Rosa wandered Through the back lands

Until one day, one way or the other

Into their lives came

Corisco

Lampião's own devil

I'm keeping my promise, Father Cicero!

I won't let the poor starve to death!

I'll avenge the walking and the dead. In the name of Lampião!

It's my Saint George, Rosa.

My Saint George, sent from Godfather Sebastião!

My Saint George, sent from Godfather Sebastião!

Clear your mind, I can't stand seeing you suffering any longer.

It's been three days, a long time...

for someone fighting a war.

Maria Bonita's body is rotting.

Worms are eating her lovely eyes.

Maria is dead, but Lampião is alive.

His flesh is no more, but his spirit still lives.

His spirit is inside me, joined together with mine.

I am a two-headed bandit.

One on the outside, the other on the inside.

One is the Killer...

the other is the thinker.

We'll see whether a two-headed bandit

can fix these back lands.

The evil giant swallows the people

to fatten the Republic.

But I borrowed Saint George's spear to slay the evil giant.

Here!

Here it is! Here it is!

Here's my rifle to save the poor from starving.

Who are you, stranger?

I'm a follower of Sebastião.

Where is Sebastião?

Antonio das Mortes killed him.

They killed Lampião, too!

Filthy Republic! They killed Sebastião and Lampião!

They killed my godfather! They killed my godfather!

Captain Corisco!

Captain Corisco!

May the Lord be with you!

Drive out the devils from your body.

Who is this stranger?

Drive out the devils, and go in peace.

Drive them out.

Drive them out.

Drive them out.

Where is the priest of Monte Santo?

Antonio das Mortes wiped out the holy people.

Only two were spared.

The others died a long time ago.

Dead?

All dead, a long time ago.

All dead, a long time ago.

I didn't hear of it up in Alagoas.

And how about Lampião?

Don't you know?

He was killed three days ago.

With Maria Bonita and his men.

No one can imagine what it was like.

My soul is filled with sorrow.

This pain grows like the sun.

And we have to keep...

And Maria Bonita

...remembering it.

It happened at 6:00 in the afternoon, at Anjicos.

He was killed at the break of night

And Maria Bonita

At the break of the dawn

Are there any soldiers nearby?

I'm waiting for the signal.

I had a dream. Today we shall die!

Die? How?

Are you crazy?

I dreamt it and there was no way out!

I saw the Devil's rifle fire twice, once in each eye.

In your eye, Lampião!

Stand aside, who would dare shoot me in the eye?

My body is protected by Godfather Cicero.

But I saw the sign.

Death is coming today at sunrise.

Here in our hideout?

Only if you did it, if you betray me, I'll kill you.

The others, there, the ones who live with the Devil.

I'm going away. My time hasn't come yet.

It is yours!

Dada!

Men!

Let's go!

Maria, Maria...

Arvoredo!

Gavião!

All of them mowed down.

I cut off 11 heads at the traitor's farm.

Then I put them in a bag

and sent them as a gift to the police...

with a note written in blood.

It was my way of showing them I'd avenge Lampião.

But my men were frightened and walked out on me.

Now I am alone with those two.

Those two against a thousand soldiers.

A thousand soldiers.

Wander lost in pastures

More than a thousand.

Looking for their flock

Captain Corisco.

I want to join your gang.

I could help in this war.

I've nothing to do.

I want to avenge my Godfather Sebastião.

The government and the landowners killed him.

Can you fight?

Yes, sir, I can fight.

I've done plenty of raids.

And I can ride, I used to drive cattle.

Saint George is helping me.

I do need a valiant man.

A man like myself.

I like your manly face.

What's your name?

Manoel.

Manoel.

That's a cowherd's name.

I'll give you another one.

From now on, your name is...

Satanás!

Now let's get one of those landowners for ourselves.

See?

See your bride?

Now she's gonna have a bandit's baby.

Satanás!

Show me you're a brave man.

Cut off this cuckold's manhood.

Leave this war, let's go away.

It's now or never!

Where can we go?

I have to stay to avenge my sorrow...

end evil...

and do justice.

I'll kill him, Rosa. I'll kill him.

Get up, you coward!

Kill me, captain, kill me.

What did you expect when you ran away from home?

Justice! Sebastião promised.

And wasn't I justice?

I thought so.

But we can't do justice by shedding more blood.

When I was a boy...

I was chased and beaten like a dog by this man's father.

I waited 20 years.

I skinned him to relieve my woes.

But it's no use.

My fate is so stained...

that all the blood in the world couldn't wash it.

You are like the angels.

If I die, go away with your woman...

and spread the word that Corisco...

was more dead than alive.

Lampião is dead, and I died with him.

That's why I must stand...

fight to the very end.

Disrupting order.

Until the land turns into the sea.

And the sea into the land.

Wandering with remorse

Without a holy protector

Antonio das Mortes

Comes looking night and day

For Corisco of Saint George

Looking night and day

For Corisco of Saint George

Looking night and day

Good day.

Who are you?

Have you forgotten my voice?

Antonio das Mortes.

I've been tracking you for over a week.

I just wanted to ask you.

Where is the man I spared in Monte Santo?

The cowherd who killed Moraes.

Remember?

Yes, sir.

Haven't heard of him in a long time.

Blind Julio...

people saw him fighting alongside Corisco last week.

Tell me the truth,

isn't that cowherd the same one they call Satanás?

And wasn't it you who led him to Corisco?

I think I pointed him in the right direction.

I couldn't drag them along with me the whole time.

The path of a bandit!

Antonio, do you see clearly what lays ahead of you?

I see the vast back lands of Canudos.

In these back lands, red with Conselheiro's blood,

perished four whole army expeditions.

I see them in my blindness.

But I can't understand why you hunt Corisco.

I don't want anyone to understand!

I was damned to do this and I have to come through.

Without a thought or a pity.

Blind Julio, tell me...

who killed the Saint at the church?

You can't ask such questions, one forgets such things.

Who killed him? Was it Manoel?

Didn't you say the people did it?

That was a lie.

I couldn't believe it.

It was the hand of jealousy. Rosa killed Manoel's faith.

They're both doomed.

I didn't kill them the first time, I won't kill them now.

- Corisco's very tired. - Don't kill Corisco either.

I'll kill him. I'll hunt him down to the end.

Is killing your way of loving thy neighbor, Antônio?

Sebastião asked me that, too.

I didn't want to do it, but I had to.

I didn't slaughter those people for the money.

I did it because there can be no rest amid this misery.

It's not the people's fault, Antônio!

It's not the people's fault!

Some day a greater war will burn these back lands.

A great war without the fear of God or the Devil.

And so that it can soon begin.

I, who killed Sebastião, will kill Corisco.

And then I'll die, too.

Because we are of the same kind.

Antonio das Mortes is close by and told me to warn you.

Do you hear that, Corisco?

He's close. Let's leave!

I can only find peace in death in Heaven, surrounded by angels.

Listen, Corisco, whoever dies is finished!

Antonio himself said your head will roll on the ground.

Godfather Cicero protects me.

I'm waiting for Antonio das Mortes,

to fight man-to-man...

as God would against the Devil.

Corisco will face the dragon of wealth.

If I die, another will be born...

for no one can slay Saint George, saint of the people.

I'll die for you, captain.

Weren't Sebastião and Lampião the same?

Want to know the truth?

That holy man was worthless.

That's blasphemy. Don't blaspheme!

Sebastião was greater than Lampião.

Don't you dare compare them or I'll kill you.

Something you want to say? I'm not afraid.

We had been defeated at Raso de Catarina.

I carried Lampião on my back.

Ezequiel!

Levino!

Antonio!

All your brothers are dead, Lampião.

Of your race, you alone are still alive.

The souls of your friends are wandering alone.

I broke everything and nothing better came up.

Nor ever will!

After I kill the others, I'll kill myself.

We only find that kind of peace in death.

I'm mortally wounded, Corisco.

I'm mortally wounded.

So we wandered day and night...

until we found Sebastião...

alone and hungry.

He'd left the priests behind...

and was wandering by Jesus Christ's example.

He helped Lampião.

Tended his wounds.

Demanded he stop thieving, so he wouldn't die.

Lampião asked for Godfather Cicero's protection.

You know what Sebastião answered?

That Godfather Cicero was an enemy of God.

That HE was God!

He wanted to take Lampião's weapons from him

and place a cross in his hands instead.

Have some respect, bastard priest!

Lampião struck, spit, and kicked his face.

A man is a man when he uses his gun to change his fate.

Not a cross, Satanás.

A dagger or a rifle!

Lies! Lies! Lies!

I always said you had the wrong image of Sebastião.

Lampião was great, but sometimes he was small.

That's a lie!

I'm afraid of dreaming of

all the lead I shot at good and bad men.

I am afraid of Hell.

I am afraid of the souls of the victims of my dagger.

I am afraid of being sad.

Of being alone like a cow, lost in the desert.

I am afraid, Corisco.

I am afraid of the darkness of death.

It's true.

Dada...

Dada, go with the blind man and fetch our daughter.

Satanás...

go scout how many soldiers are with Antonio das Mortes.

They've killed our daughter.

They said she had to redeem our sins.

There's no way out.

Soldiers are blocking all the roads.

To Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe.

Antonio has all of us surrounded.

Tightening his noose.

He said he'll send your head to the president.

Sabiá! Macambira!

Go now.

You can keep this gold.

I'll face Antonio das Mortes by myself.

Satanás! Are you going or staying?

I've always gone against your will. Now you decide.

I feel closer to you now, so we can live.

If we get away...

we can have a child.

Yes, a child.

I, José, shall be protected by Abraham's sword.

I, José, shall be anointed

with the milk of the Virgin Mary.

I, José, shall be baptized with the blood of Christ.

I, José, shall find shelter in Noah's Ark.

I, José, shall be locked by Saint Peter's keys.

Where no one will see me, nor hurt me,

nor kill me.

Neither shall the blood of my body be taken from me.

Searching in the back lands

The whole month of February

The dragon of evil

Against the holy warrior

Antonio das Mortes, searching

Antonio das Mortes, searching

The whole month of February

Antonio das Mortes, searching

Antonio das Mortes, searching

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

I'm not a little bird That lives in a cage!

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

I won't surrender to a lieutenant I won't surrender to a captain

I'll surrender when I die With a gun in my hand

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

No, I won't!

I'm not a little bird That lives in a cage!

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

No, I won't!

I won't surrender to a lieutenant I won't surrender to a captain

I'll surrender when I die With a gun in my hand

Give yourself up, Corisco!

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

No, I won't!

I won't surrender to a lieutenant I won't surrender to a captain

I'll surrender when I die With a gun in my hand

Give yourself up, Corisco!

No, I won't!

I'll surrender when I die With a gun in my hand

Greater power to the people!

They killed Corisco

They shot Dada

Celebrate, folks! Celebrate!

Celebrate until the sun comes up

They killed Corisco

They shot Dada

The land shall become the sea

And the sea shall become land

The land shall become the sea

And the sea shall become land

Now I've told my tale

From truth and imagination

And I hope you've learned a lesson

That badly divided as it stands

This world is all wrong

That our land belongs to Man Not to God or to the Devil

Not to God or to the Devil

Not to God Or to the Devil

This land belongs to Man

Not to God or to the Devil

This land belongs to Man

Not to God or to the Devil

The land shall become the sea

- And the sea shall become land - Not to God or to the Devil

The land shall become the sea

- And the sea shall become land - Not to God

- The land shall become the sea - Or to the Devil

- And the sea shall become land - Not to God or to the Devil

The land shall become the sea

THE END