THE BOYS OF THE TOWERS

🎞️ The Boys of the Towers is a short documentary film that dives into the centuries-old tradition of bell language in São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais. Blending visual sensitivity with historical rigor, the film explores the craft of the sineiros (bell ringers), the meaning of each repique (bell pattern), and the role of orality and religiosity in preserving this unique cultural heritage. In addition to stunning imagery and heartfelt testimonies, the film features explanatory segments that contextualize the bell tolls, their origins, and their symbolism — offering a profound portrait of a living intangible heritage.

📍Produced with resources from the Paulo Gustavo Law (Ministry of Culture and Federal Government)
📍Filmed in São João del-Rei with the support of the Municipal Government, through the City Hall and the Municipal Department of Culture and Tourism

📚 Main References:
• SALES, Cristiano Lima. A Estrada Real nos cenários arqueológico, colonial e contemporâneo (2012)
• IPHAN. O Toque dos Sinos e o Ofício de Sineiro em Minas Gerais (Dossiê Iphan, 2016)

🎬 Technical Team:
• Director: Thiago Morandi
• Videomakers: Daniel Gouvêa, Fabiola Ribeiro, and Guilherme Pimenta
• Editing and Color Grading: Ana Luiza Nolasco

🔔 An audiovisual celebration of memory and living heritage — of faith, and of the sound that echoes from the bell towers of São João del-Rei.