A foundational work of Brazilian cinema and winner of the Palme D’Or at Cannes, O Pagador de Promessas tells the story of Zé (Leonardo Villar), a humble man who takes a vow in order to save his ailing donkey. When the animal survives, Zé begins his long pilgrimage carrying a wooden cross on his back. However, he is ultimately unable to pay his debt, as a priest stops him from entering the church. A powerful reflection on the battle between personal devotion and religion’s institutional rigidity, and a critique of hypocritical, exclusionary religious practices.