ra-ro

Mil Graus journeys into the heart of Gondar, where pottery is not merely an art of clay and fire, but of clay, fire, and smoke. Here, artisans practice the ancient soenga: a demanding process in which earthen vessels are arranged in a deep pit, pre-dried, subjected to extreme temperatures, and finally buried beneath pine needles and earth to trap the smoke that transforms them into rich, unpredictable shades of black. Nothing is certain—no two firings are alike, no outcome guaranteed.

Through the testimonies of those who grew up in this fiery landscape, the film captures a craft that teeters between mastery and surrender, between human skill and elemental force. Each potter describes the visceral bond between body and fire, the joy of shaping earth, and the deep emotional inheritance of a tradition that nearly disappeared. Imperfection is not a flaw but the essence of the soenga—its fingerprint, its soul.

As one generation passes the craft to the next, Mil Graus becomes a tribute to resilience, devotion, and the enduring power of a nearly lost art kept alive by passion, memory, and the courage to work at a thousand degrees.

CLIENT: RA-RO

PRODUCED BY THE END FILMS

REALIZAÇÃO / DIRECTOR FILIPI DO CANTO

DIRECTOR CRIATIVO / CREATIVE DIRECTOR GUILHERME NUNES

COPYWRITER / SCREENWRITER DIOGO FIGUEIRA

MÚSICA ORIGINAL / ORIGINAL MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN AURÉLIEN VIEIRA LINO

FOTOGRAFIA STUDIO / STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY MENDO DORNELAS

MONTAGEM E FINALIZAÇÃO / EDITING & POST-PRODUCTION THE END FILMS

LETTERING DOUGLAS CARDOSO

PRODUÇÃO EXECUTIVA / STUDIO MANAGER PAULA WINIARSKI

FOTOGRAFIA STILL / STILL PHOTOGRAPHY PEDRO BOTELHO

INSTITUIÇÕES / INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIAÇÃO O GENUÍNO COBERTOR DE PAPA