Umbanda: Offerings of Faith

This feature-length documentary examines the history of this syncretic religion, founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1908 by Zélio Fernandino de Moraes. The film features interviews with followers of Umbanda, scenes of their practices and rituals, and historical exposition of the roots of the faith, making connections to the influences of African, European, and Indigenous beliefs. In addition to Umbanda priests, priestesses, and initiates, the film includes interviews with scholars in the fields of anthropology, sociology, and languages whose research focuses on mythology and religions of African origin.