Watch In the Intense Now

In the Intense Now is a captivating documentary film from 2017 that explores the cultural and political climate of the late 1960s in various cities across the world. Directed by João Moreira Salles, the film is a deeply personal journey of the director who uses footage shot by his mother, who was a filmmaker as well, during her travels to Paris in May 1968, and combines it with footage from other filmmakers who captured the zeitgeist of that era in cities like Prague, Brazil, and China.

The film's narrative unfolds in four parts, each shot in different locations, and showcases the momentous events that took place in those cities between 1966 and 1974. The first part of the film focuses on Salles' mother's trip to Paris in 1968, and it's a stunning portrayal of the student-led protests and general strikes that swept through the city capturing the imagination of the world. The footage that Salles uses from his mother's reels gives the audience a first-hand glimpse into the everyday lives of the Parisians who lived through that transformative period.

In the following parts of the film, Salles shows how the ideals of the 1968 protests were echoed in other cities, including Prague, where a similar student-led uprising took place in 1968, but was ultimately crushed by Soviet tanks. In Brazil, the film focuses on the rise of leftist politics that culminated in the military coup of 1964, followed by a decade of authoritarian rule. And in China, the film captures the tumultuous period of the Cultural Revolution, where Mao Zedong attempted to purify Chinese society of capitalist and traditional influences.

What's remarkable about In the Intense Now is that it dispenses with the usual methods of contextualizing historical events through talking heads, expert interviews, or voiceovers. Instead, Salles allows the footage to speak for itself, and creates a deeply immersive film that highlights the emotions and the spirit of those turbulent times. The film's pacing is such that it builds slowly and gradually, allowing the audience to understand the context and the significance of the events as they unfold.

There's an intimacy in the way Salles approaches this documentary, which feels more like a meditation on the past rather than a dry historical analysis. The film is filled with poignant moments that capture the sense of longing and the search for a better world that defined that era. Salles uses a range of music to invoke the spirit of that time, including the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Brazilian samba, among others.

In the Intense Now is a beautiful film that doesn't shy away from the violence and the tragedy of the events it portrays. Salles' decision to use a variety of footage sources gives the film a collage-like quality that mirrors the fragmented nature of memory itself. But more than that, the film is a reflection on the power of collective action and the potency of hope, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

One of the most striking aspects of the film is how it shows the similarities between events happening in vastly different parts of the world. Salles captures how the events of the sixties were interconnected, and the sense of global citizenry that emerged during that period. It's a reminder that the struggles of the past are never truly over, and that the movements of the sixties have reverberated into our present.

The film's title, In the Intense Now, speaks to the intensity of the moment that was captured by the footage, but also to Salles' approach to the material. The film is an attempt to inhabit that period, to feel its urgency and its vibrancy, and to explore the complex emotions that accompanied it. There's a sense of nostalgia that pervades the film, but it's not a sentimental one. Rather, the film is a reminder that the past is never fully gone, and that the spirit of the sixties still echoes today.

In conclusion, In the Intense Now is a vital and timely documentary that explores the cultural and political climate of the late 1960s in a way that feels intimate and deeply personal. Salles' approach to the material is refreshing and innovative, relying solely on archival footage to create a collage-like depiction of that era. The film is a reminder that the struggles of the past are never truly over, and that the movements of the sixties have reverberated into our present. It's a beautiful, thought-provoking film that is not to be missed.

In the Intense Now is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 2 hours and 7 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3 and a MetaScore of 72.