Road 47

Background

During World War II Brazil became an ally of Soviet Union, United States, UK and Free France, among other Allies. In the second half of 1944, it sent to the Italian Campaign, in several stages, a military contingent formed mainly by an infantry division to fight the forces of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Almost all these soldiers came from rural and poor backgrounds, and with no previous military experience, they had to learn in practice to fight for survival at the front.

Plot heart

After suffering a collective panic in a non specified point of Gothic Line, the soldiers Guimarães (Daniel de Oliveira), Piauí (Gaspar Francisco), Laurindo (Thogum) and their Lieutenant (Julio Andrade), try to retreat of the site, but end up missing their company. So, they had to decide to return to their unit under risk of facing court-martial for dereliction of duty, or return to the position of night before at risk of facing a surprise attack by numerous forces of enemy. That's when a war correspondent, Rui (Ivo Canelas), tells them about an active minefield and they think this is a chance to redeem the mistake they committed, but much is yet to happen and the war is far from over.

Cast

Production

In an interview, Vicente Ferraz said that he wanted to discuss Brazil's history in World War II, which he said was "forgotten by the Brazilians and which is completely unknown abroad." He used diaries, letters, and interviews as source material.

Release

Road 47 premiered at the 2013 Festival do Rio.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Competent but not inspiring, this is a simple and effective film which never does full justice to the stirring material it’s based on." Mark Adams of Screen International called it an "impressively mounted war film" and "high quality drama".