What is the central theme of the film 'The Prophet'?

The film 'The Prophet' explores a pastor's spiritual struggles, his waning faith, and his temptation to turn to witchcraft and sacrifice.

Where and how was the film 'The Prophet' made?

The film 'The Prophet' was made over nine years in a small town in southern Mozambique, using a non-professional cast and drawing inspiration from local traditions.

What inspired writer-director Ique Langa to make 'The Prophet'?

Ique Langa was inspired by the recent surge of pastors in Mozambique and his own personal experiences and questions about faith and his heritage.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Mozambique Film Explores Faith, Fear, and Forbidden Doors

Mozambique Film Explores Faith, Fear, and Forbidden Doors

27 Jan

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Summary

Film debut explores spiritual struggles and temptation of forbidden powers.
Shot over nine years in Mozambique with a non-professional cast.
Themes include faith, tradition, and the consequences of opened doors.

Mozambique Film Explores Faith, Fear, and Forbidden Doors

Filmmaker Ique Langa's directorial debut, 'The Prophet' (O profeta), set to premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Tiger Competition, offers a meditative exploration of faith and its challenges. The film, a nine-year endeavor, was created with a non-professional cast in Manjacaze, a small town in southern Mozambique.

'The Prophet' follows Pastor Hélder, whose faith erodes, leading him to explore witchcraft and sacrifice in a bid to restore it. This narrative interrogates the age-old adage of Pandora's Box, questioning the possibility of unpunished transgression. Langa drew inspiration from the recent surge of pastors in Mozambique and his own childhood experiences in the village where the story is set.

The film's visual style, entirely in black and white, was a deliberate choice from the outset, aiming to capture a specific mood and resonance. Langa cited transcendental cinema masters like Robert Bresson and Yasujirō Ozu as influences, along with Mozambican art, particularly the works of Malangatana Ngwenya.