English summary

“Both a tribute and an ode to travel”

“Travelogue with universal appeal” 

In Gabriel e a Montanha the Brazilian director Fellipe Barbosa sketches a colourful portrait of his boyhood friend Gabriel Buchmann (João Pedro Zappa), who went off to explore Africa in 2009.

In this intriguing film, Gabriel believes he can gain access to the soul of Africa by adopting the local dress and wearing authentic rubber sandals – but his reward is only sympathy. To truly discover the continent he must change the way he travels. When he heads into the backcountry and follows the cues of new friends, raw emotions surface. His last destination, after a ten-month journey, is Mount Mulanje in Malawi.

In order to document the significance of the journey for Gabriel, Barbosa and his camera followed in his friend’s footsteps. He was assisted by the acclaimed Brazilian cameraman Pedro Sotero, whose sublime work brings the African landscape directly to the cinema audience. Playing Gabriel, João Pedro Zappa visited the same places as the real Buchmann, and sometimes even became friends with people who met him. Above all, Gabriel e a Montanha is a sensitive reflection on the loss of a friend, as well as a final ode to him. Winner of the ‘France 4 Visionary Award’ at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.