The programs listed above were shown in two different theaters. In the first theater, all four shows were crowded at the beginning, but many people left. This is not surprising; Brakhage's films are not for everyone; these showings were also free. The audience was reasonably polite throughout, and while there were one or two questions that suggested, incorrectly, that his editing was "aleatory," most of the questions were sympathetic, and it was clear that many of the people who stayed until the end really loved the films, and felt they had seen something truly new. I gather that North American avant-garde film has not been shown widely in Brazil, and hardly ever in Belo Horizonte. Thus for many there was the excitement of discovering a different kind of cinema, and of seeing.

The showings in the second theater were even more successful; perhaps the different neighborhood attracted a slightly different crowd, or perhaps word of what the films were like was spreading, selecting out some potential viewers and encouraging others to attend. In fact, audience enthusiasm seemed to build throughout the eight-program series. Could it be that Brakhage films have "legs" in Belo Horizonte? The last two showings at the second theater were perhaps the most successful, with applause after every film and with the majority staying until the end. At the end of the first of these two I thanked everyone, which I hadn't generally been doing, and not only did the audience applaud, but some stood up to do so.

Best of all: Before the third screening at the second theater a young man, who I later learned was 22, came up to me with his email address. I had mentioned that I could try to get some DVDs to Brazil legally, if a few people were interested, for less than the US$80 including duty that it costs to order one set from Amazon; $80 is a huge sum for most Brazilians. (My idea was to purchase a few at wholesale and sell them to the interested few at no mark up, but with proper duties paid.) So he was hoping to get one. I told him that if it worked out it would cost abgout US $35 including duty and shipping and might take a few months. He said that was OK.

He also indicated that he had really loved the films and that they had given him a "new vision." Then after the last program he came up to me again, even more enthusiastic; he had especially loved Chartres Series, which is one of my favorites too. I had one DVD with me that I had been bringing to the showings to show to people, so I told him I'd like to give it to him as a gift.

Then he started crying.

He had lowered his head and was silent so at first I didn't realize what was happening. It took him about a minute to recover his composure. This for me was the finest response I've ever gotten in all the years I've shown films in public. It reminded me of all the times a work of art meant that much to me, of the long train rides to New Haven and New York to see The Art of Vision (four times in all) in the year following its completion, the film replaying itself in various forms in my head on the way back. It reminded me of all the times I felt my whole sense of what the world is and of what is possible changed by a great work of art.

I have always said about public programs that it is more important to me that one person be deeply moved than that the majority "enjoy" themselves.

The next night I met the young man again. I asked his permission to post the story of his reaction, without naming him, and he agreed. He brought along his brother. Both are aspiring artists. Both have limited English, so my little English-Portuguese dictionary helped when he wanted to tell me that Brakhage's films made him feel "weird" because of how much they seemed to get inside him, and I agreed that this is often what great art does. He gave me some of his drawings (which I liked!) as a gift and we agreed to stay in touch.