‘Vazante’: a lyrical tale about the savagery of slavery

Savagely lyrical, “Vazante” offers a harsh, impressionistic take on slavery in 19th century Brazil. And though the storytelling leans toward the opaque, the film has a sense of authenticity and power that keep it interesting.

Antonio (Adriano Carvalho, effectively distant) is a wealthy slaveholder in rural Brazil who, upon returning from a business trip, discovers that his wife has died during childbirth, along with their expected child. So he decides to marry 12-year-old Beatriz (Luana Nastas, very good), in a transaction that he considers roughly equal to procuring a new slave, or a head of cattle.