Marco Dutra's Film Adaptation of Ana Paula Maia's Novel 'Bury Your Dead' Hits Theaters

Marco Dutra’s latest horror feature, Enterre Seus Mortos (Bury Your Dead), premiered in Brazilian cinemas on October 30, 2025. This highly anticipated release marks a significant moment for the nation's contemporary genre filmmaking landscape. The movie serves as a cinematic adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Ana Paula Maia, which was originally published in 2018. The production, which features veteran actress Betty Faria, delves into the darker facets of human existence, set against the ominous backdrop of impending societal collapse.

The plot centers on Edgar Wilson, a character brought to life by Selton Mello, whose unusual occupation involves collecting deceased animals from the roads surrounding the fictional town of Aballurdes. Wilson is joined by two key figures: Tomás, an excommunicated priest played by Danilo Grangheia, and his supervisor and partner, Neti, played by Marjorie Estiano. This central trio finds themselves confronted by harbingers of an inevitable apocalypse, which dramatically heightens the atmosphere of tense anticipation throughout the narrative.

Before its general release, the picture garnered critical acclaim following screenings at prestigious international film festivals, notably the Festival do Rio in 2024 and the International Film Festival in São Paulo. The production companies RT Features and Globoplay were responsible for bringing the adaptation to the screen, where it has prompted deep contemplation regarding the nature of profound societal shifts. Director Marco Dutra, previously recognized for his work on Good Manners, crafted a distinctive world that, according to Selton Mello himself, evoked a complex mixture of admiration and revulsion due to its inherent absurdity.

The literary source material, Ana Paula Maia’s novel, is characterized by a stark, objective prose style, often focusing on stoic, silent men whose lives are inextricably linked to grueling labor and death. Maia herself noted that she completed Enterre Seus Mortos prior to the global pandemic, suggesting an almost prophetic foresight of the impending world upheaval. Essentially, the film functions as a powerful allegory, incorporating themes of social stratification arising from the spread of a deadly virus. It also echoes motifs found in the author’s other works, such as Out of Every Five Hundred, One Soul. In Aballurdes, where strange rumors abound—including granite falling from the sky and a peculiar syndrome affecting children—the fatalistic residents either seek solace in rituals or attempt desperate escapes using rockets designated exclusively for the affluent citizens.

Dutra’s directorial approach is marked by rigorous staging and a striking visual palette. The use of baroque chiaroscuro lighting contrasts sharply with the authentic rawness of the environment, introducing a refreshing and innovative path for Brazilian fantastic cinema. Viewers experience more than just a standard horror film; they witness a reflection of collective anxieties, where every choice, even the mundane task of collecting dead animals, assumes the weight of predestination as the world awaits monumental change.