A young girl unites with her Afro-Brazilian religious ancestry on a summer visit with family to their ancestral village in rural Northeast Brazil. Soon after her arrival, she encounters Orishas (African gods) who join her grandmother to help her find peace with a gift that previously vexed her.

The Summer of Gods - Trailer

This film has inspired people worldwide to understand, respect, and be proud of our traditions.

—Eliciana Nascimento, Writer & Director

While still in film school, I embarked on a unique spiritual journey that would become this film. Its premiere at Cannes in 2014 marked the beginning of a remarkable journey, with multiple awards and international screenings that resonated deeply with worldwide audiences. The uniqueness of this film sparked a hunger for more stories like this.

I am proud that The Summer of Gods' universal themes have the power to touch the hearts of children and adults from different backgrounds and traditions. This film, which I created based on my personal experiences with my late mother and our many encounters with our ancestors and Orishas, ​​represents my slow acceptance and initiation into the religious traditions of my ancestors.

I hope that an uplifting story rooted in African mythology like this will entertain and inspire, encouraging people to learn more about our traditions and strengthen their beliefs. To learn more about my upcoming spiritual film, sign up for my mailing list and visit my website.

Digital Copy of the Film

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Educational License

  • The educational license allows you to download and show the film. You can show it at schools, universities, libraries, non-profit organizations, or any educational event free of charge for an unlimited period of time. However, this license does not allow you to upload the film to social media platforms. Fill out the form to receive the license and the link to the film.

Commercial License

  • The commercial license provides access to the full film and allows you to show it at any commercial event hosted by your organization for an unlimited period of time. However, this license prohibits you from uploading the film to any social media platform. Fill out the form to receive the license and link to the film.

  • Isabela Santos, Lili

  • Dona Rosa, Grandma

  • Lucas Santos, Eleggua

  • Yemanjá Ceremony

  • Initiation scene

  • Dance and Music Troupe

  • Josie Varjão, Oxúm

  • Jamile Alves, Yemanjá

  • Ancestors Quilombo

  • Initiation scene

  • River scene

  • River scene

  • Initiation scene

  • Initiation scene

  • Josi Varjão, Oxúm

  • Grandma's backyard

  • Grandma's Umbanda Center

  • Dona Rosa in her spiritual center

DISTRIBUTION

  • TVE-BA, 3a Mostra Lugar de Mulher é no Cinema. Salvador,

Brazil, February 7, 2019.

  • Kweli TV—Online Streaming Distribution Platform, USA,

    2017-Present.

  • DIFFA—Distribution Internationale de Films et Fictions d’Afrique.

    Paris, France, 2015.

  • Exhibition rights sold to TV5Monde. Paris, France, Jun 30, 2015

  • TV Brasil, Programa Nação. São Paulo, Brazil, Sept 4, 2015

  • VHX—VOD Online Distribution, USA, 2014. DVD & VOD

    distribution, USA

AWARDS

  • ECHO Film Festival TV BRICS, Russia

    Nominated: Best Short Feature Film

  • Philadelphia International Film Festival. Philadelphia, PA, 2016

    Awarded: Best Foreign Language Short Subject

  • Silicon Valley African Film Festival. Mountain View, CA, 2016

    Awarded: Diaspora Narrative Short Film

  • Plateau—Festival International de Cinema. Praia, Cape Verde

    Awarded: Best Narrative Short

  • Global Girls Film Fest. Chicago, IL, 2015

    Awarded: Best Narrative Short

  • Black Star Film Festival. Philadelphia, PA, 2014

    Awarded: Special Recognition for Directing Narrative

  • Reel Sisters of the Diaspora International Film Festival & Lecture

    Series. New York, NY

    Awarded: The Spirit Award & Best Cinematography

OFFICIAL

SELECTION

  • Africadelic Festival. Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2020

  • 28° Festival Internacional de Curtas de São Paulo, São Paulo,

    Brazil.

  • PanAfrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou—

    Fespaco Burkina Faso.

  • New York African Film Festival, Lincoln Center. New York, NY,

    2015.

  • Cine + Mas, San Francisco Latino Film Festival. San Francisco,

    CA, 2015.

  • African Diaspora International Film Festival. Chicago, IL, 2015.

  • Encontro Zózimo Bulbul, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2015.

  • Cannes, Short Film Corner. Cannes, France, 2014.

COMMUNITY

SCREENINGS

  • Afrocinematic & KweliTV, African Spirituality and the Resilience of

    the African Diaspora. Maryland, August 2019

  • KweliTV Live Experience Screening. Chicago, IL, July 2019

  • FICINE—Fórum Itinerario do Cinema Negro, Centro Cultural

    Plataforma. Salvador, Brazil, March 2018

  • Mostra Diretoras Negas no Cinema Brasileiro. Brasilia, Rio de

    Janeiro, Brazil, July 2018

  • Mostra Zaira de Culturas Pretas, Memorial Municipal Getúlio

    Vargas. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 2017

  • 2a Mostra Lugar de Mulher É no Cinema. Salvador, Brazil, April

    2017

  • Sanzala Cultural Forum. Switzerland, December 2017

  • Mostra de Cinema Negro de Sergipe. Bahia, Brazil, March 2017

  • Cine Ibomin, Salvador, Brazil, July 2017

  • Cinemawon Auteur Cinema Projections. Gwadloup & France, 2016

  • BrasArte, Berkley, CA, September 2016

  • ODUNFA Ifá Festival. Oakland, CA, May 2016

  • Mecca Independent Film Festival, April 2016

  • La Peña Cultural Center. Berkley, January 2016

  • EGBÉ – Mostra de Cinema Negro de Sergipe. Sergipe, Brazil. April

  • 2016

  • AERA 2015 Annual Meeting Film Expo Films. Chicago, IL, AprilNascimento 5

    2014 2015

  • Sala Walter Da Silveira, Salvador. Brazil, December 2015

  • Centro de Umbanda Oxalá. Ituberá, Brazil, December 2015

  • Centro Cultural Plataforma. Salvador, Brazil, December 2015

  • Sessão AfroeducAÇÃO no Cinema. São Paulo, Brazil July 2015

  • Homecoming Films from the African Diaspora. Oakland, CA,

    November 2015

  • Mostra Novos Cineastas Negros do Brasil em Destaque no Mundo.

    Pelotas, Brazil, November 2015

  • BloomScreen and Levantamos. Washington DC, November 2015

  • SERNEGRA. Brasilia, November 2015

  • Pre-Screening, The New Parkway. Oakland, CA, February 2014

  • Callie Rose Literary Arts Café and Brazil Cultural Center. Los

    Angeles, CA, October 2014

CONFERENCES

  • “Mujeres en Las Colectividades: Brasil, China y Mexico: La

    Federacíon Argentina de Colectividades”

    —FAC, Aregentina / Via

    Zoom, June 26, 2021

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening followed by Q&A with the

    director: KweliTV Live Screening Tour, Chicago, IL, July 2019

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening followed by Q&A with the

    director: TRADE/ITIONS: Tradition in Evolution, Caribbean Cultural

    Center, New York, NY 2017.

  • African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), in partnership with Aaron

    Davis Hall of the City University of New York, New York, NY,

    September, 2017.

  • “Race, Gender, and Identity in the Bay of All Saints.” Afro-Brazilian

    Speaker Series, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA, April 2017.

  • “Art and Cultural Resistance in Black Brazil and the Diaspora.”

    Symposium Conciência Negra: A Legacy of Consciousness in

    Brazil, 2016.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening was followed by a Q&A with

    the director, Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, PA, USA, in March

    2016.

  • “Brazil: Race and Identity.” Panel moderator, Silicon Valley African

    Film Festival, Mountain View, CA, October 2016.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening followed by Q&A with

    director: International Women’s History Month, University of

    Chicago, Chicago, IL, March 2016.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” The film screening was followed by Q&A

    with the director of African and Diasporic Spiritual Soundscapes,

    Harvard University, Boston, MA, in April 2015.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Q&A with the director followed the film

    screening: Bioneers Conference, San Rafael, CA, October 2015.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening followed by Q&A with the

    director: Sacramento City College, Latino Heritage Month,

    Sacramento, CA, September 2015.

  • “The Summer of Gods.” Film screening followed by Q&A with the

    director: Skyline College, Latino Heritage Month, San Mateo, CA,

    October 2014.

Isabela Santos

Rosalinda Santos

Lucas Santos

Carolina Su

Jamile Alvez

Josi Reis

Israel de Jesus

Pablo Souza

Alice Moreira, Claudionor Neto, Diego Souza, Diogo Silva, Luana Pessanha, Lucimar Souza, Marcus Santos, Natalia Santiago, Paulo Silva & Ricardo Costa

Adeleine de Jesus, Antônia Rocha, Carliane Santos, Celinalva de Jesus, Eliete dos Santos, Eliza Cruz, Esmeraldina Vilas-Boas, Helena de Jesus, Marcela Souza, Maria da Conceição Santos, Maria de Fátima, Renilde Nascimento, Wellington Neves (Beinha)

CAST

LILI

GRANDMA

ELEGGUA

MOTHER

YEMANJÁ

OSHUN

YOUNGER BROTHER

OLDER BROTHER

DANCE TROUPE

RELIGIOUS FIGURE

CREW

PRODUCTION

WRITER & DIRECTOR

CO-PRODUCER

STEADICAM OP.

COSTUME DESIGNER

HAIR & MAKEUP

SOUND RECORDIST

CHOREOGRAPHER

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY

LOCATION MANAGER

BOAT PILOTS

DRIVERS

POST-PRODUCTION

EDITOR

SUPERVISING EDITOR

ORIGINAL SCORE

VFX

SOUND SUPERVISOR

SOUND DESIGNER

FOLEY ARTIST

COLORIST

Eliciana Nascimento

Benjamin Watkins

Maoma Faria

Zuarte Junior

Wilson Argolo

Anderson Santos

Marilza Oliveira

Larissa Santos & Tina Reis

Carlito Ferreira

Nei & Zé Carlos

Adailton Santos, Benedito de Assis, Jeferson Nascimento

Eliciana Nascimento

Pat Jackson

George Kallis

Benjamin Watkins

Dan Olmsted

Jamie Branquinho

Rodolfo Gutierrez

Chris Tipton-King