Creatures of the Mind
Marcelo Gomes / Brazil / 2025 / 84 min
A hypnotic study of dreams, sleep and the mysteries of the subconscious. Science meets myth in a Brazilian film where indigenous knowledge sheds new light on the deep mysteries of the mind.
During the pandemic, director Marcelo Gomes realised that he had stopped dreaming. Together with renowned neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro, he embarks on a deeply fascinating journey through the anthropological and scientific landscapes of dreams. The goal is to investigate how different societies have understood dreams and the unconscious.
Along the way, they meet a researcher who studies the dream life of octopuses in a modern laboratory. But they also meet a spiritual medium in Pernambuco, along with other members of Brazil’s indigenous peoples, who have their own interpretations of the symbols and possible meanings of dreams. For even the strangest dream is rooted in the world and one’s surroundings, and in Brazilian culture, both carnival and capoeira are part of the shared spiritual life. If you are even slightly interested in the deep mysteries of the mind, this is a must-see.