Category: Brazil
A Cor Do Trabalho
The documentary is part of a set of actions developed by Setre since 2007, including the Call for Support to the Solidarity Economy of the African Matrix, whose objective is to permanently strengthen and value the historical roots of black people. According to the state secretary of Labor and Sports, Nilton Vasconcelos, "the documentary records how the union between solidarity and work constituted a force with the power to transform stories and lives of the black population in Bahia, making positive their experiences, surpassing the adversities and serve as examples and references for later generations. " The film encourages young people to dream of a future different from their parents
Brazil, Economics/Development, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesA Magia Do Churrasco [Marcos Bassi: The Magic Of Grilling]
For more than four decades, businessman Marcos Bassi surprises us with his creations and knowledge about steaks. With 'A Barbecue Magic' you will learn about choosing the steak, to cutting and preparing the delicious barbecue. Known as the Artisan of the Beef, Marcos Bassi reveals his secrets, highlighting some of his own creations such as Skirt steak and Good-Good steak, in addition to the T-Bone Steak, Wide Beef steak, Bisteca Fiorentina steak, Steak Eye and Whole Picanha.
Biography, Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Social Life and CustomsAbril Despedaçado / Behind the Sun
The Brazilian badlands, April 1910. Tonho is ordered by his father to avenge the death of his older brother. The young man knows that if he commits this crime, his life will be divided in two: the 20 years he has already lived and the few days he has left to live, before the other family avenges their son's death. He is torn between fulfilling his ancestral duty and rebelling against it, urged by his younger brother Pacu. That's when a tiny traveling circus passes through the vast badlands where Tonho's family lives.
Brazil, DramaAleijadinho: Passion, Glory and Torment
Part of a two DVD set called "Race and History in Brazil." The other DVD in this set is called "Denying Brazil." ALEIJADINHO: PASSION, GLORY AND TORMENT is a fictionalised drama about the life of 18th-century sculptor Antonio Francisco Lisboa, who was known as Aleijadinho. Born the son of a slave, Lisboa struggles with prejudice, mental illness, and disease but never stops expressing himself through his art.
Art, Brazil, Drama, Social IssuesAlmost Brothers / Quase Dois Irmãos
This searing look at the class struggle in Brazil over a period of four decades is told through the closely linked yet fatallz divided lives of Miguel, a middle-class white rebel, and Jorge, his black childhood friend. Remembering their time of imprisonment by the right wing government in the 1960s, Miguel returns as a progressive politician to the prison where Jorge serves a sentence as a gang leader, to seek his help in changing the cycle of death and poverty.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Drama, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesAmericas: Part 2
"Capital Sins" Part of a 10-part PBS series on the western hemisphere, this program examines the trajectory of Brazil's economy from the mid 1960s through the 1980s, spotlighting the methods Brazil's rulers chose to develop that country and how their choices affected the lives of ordinary Brazilians. Beginning with the rapid growth of the late 1960s and 1970s known as the "Brazilian Miracle," it examines the cost of this growth in terms of the repression of the military regime of that period, as well as the growing inequality of the 1970s and the debt crisis of the 1980s. The transition to democratic rule in the 1980s is also covered. Interviews with members of the military regime and its opponents, including current President Luis Ignacio "Lula" Da Silva and politician Benedita Da Silva, complement the documentary's narrative.
Brazil, Economics/Development, History, Latin AmericaAmericas: Part 6
"Miracles are Not Enough" This program travels to Brazil and Nicaragua to observe the explosion of theological debate, social activism and spiritual revival that is changing a region where religion has long played an important role in society and politics.
Brazil, Latin America, Nicaragua, Politics/Human Rights, ReligionAmericas: Part 7
"Builders of Images" This program explores the arts throughout the Americas, celebrating the extraordinary creative ferment that has attracted global acclaim and given rise to a distinct and increasingly influential Latin American and Caribbean artistic voice.
Argentina, Art, Brazil, Latin America, Mexico, Puerto RicoAntonia
From the Producers of City of God and acclaimed writer/director/producer Tata Amaral comes Antônia, a moving soulfoul look into the lives of four women living on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Determined to escape their poveryy stricken lives, the talented younf women form an all=female rap group but find their road to success is riddled with sexism, racism and violence. One by one, they succumb to their frim realitiews, putting the group's future, and their lifelong friendships, in jeopardy. Until they learn that out of struggle comes strength, and out of strength, the courage to continue on.
Subject: Music/Dance, Social Issues, Drama, Women's Studies
Art of Elizabeth Bishop, The
This is a documentary allows the viewer a glimpse into a Brazilian art symposium which celebrates the art and poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. The symposium occurs in Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais. Literary discussions and some presentation material included.
Art, Biography, BrazilAs Américas Têm Cor / The Americas Have Color
"Different skin tones, individual and collective stories. This is the content of the documentary, 'The Americas Have Color: Afro-Descendants in 21st-Century Censuses.' This documentary reconstructs the African Diaspora's ties to the Americas and reveals the censuses' strategic role for advancing the rights of Afro-descendants in Latin America. The documentary was conceived by the 2010 Census Afro-descendant Group, produced by TV Brasil International, and funded by UNIFEM Brazil and Southern Cone, through its Regional Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty Program." Part of 4-DVD collection, "Coletânea Gênero, Raça e Etnia."
Brazil, Economics/Development, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesAuto Da Compadecida, O
The lively João Grilo and the sly Chicó are poor guys living in the hinterland who cheat a bunch of people in a small Northeast Brazil town. But when they die, they have to be judged by Christ, the Devil and the Virgin Mary, before they are admitted to paradise.
Brazil, ComedyBabas
This is a documentary about the history of wet nursing among Brazilian families. The film is a reflection on how it had developed over the years in different contexts throughout the twentieth century, from black slaves nursing white children to mothers hiring a nanny. The film uses subjective narration, autobiographical elements, photographs, domestic footage, and newspaper ads to reflect on how genuine affective relationships are nevertheless influenced by a long-range history of racial oppression in Brazil. This film was donated by Duke University Visiting Instructor Aaron Lorenz.
Brazil, Country/Region, History, Social Issues, Social Life and Customs, SubjectBaile Perfumado
The inhospitable backlands, or sertão, of northeastern Brazil was home to a fearsome group of social bandits - the cangaceiros. Among the most infamous of these outlaws, known by their hats covered with mystic talismans, was the bespectacled Lampião whose depredations became legend in the 1930s. The film portrays the filmmaker and photographer Benjamin Abrahão, a Lebanese immigrant, who captured the elusive bandits with his camera.
Biography, Brazil, Drama, HistoryBenedita da Silva
A profile of the first black woman ever to be elected city councilor and member of the Brazilian Parliament from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Bene, as she prefers to be called, has lived her entire life in the favelas and worked for twenty-five years as a domestic servant before beginning her public life in 1982, when she won a post as city councilor and was elected a federal MP in 1986. She now devotes her efforts to fighting the racism and discrimination faced by Rio's slum dwellers, and comments from community leaders and residents show the love and respect she has earned.
Brazil, History, Women's StudiesBispo Do Rosario
This docudrama about the life and art of the Brazilian artist Arthur Bispo do Rosário takes the artist's imagination as its viewpoint. Bispo spent 50 years in a psychiatric hospital in Rio and his art was almost completely unknown before his death in 1989. He is now considered one of Brazil's most important artists.
Art, Biography, BrazilBlack God, White Devil / Deus E O Diabo Na Terra Do Sol
This richly allegorical film, set amid bandits and prophets in arid Northeastern Brazil of the early twentieth century, is a classic work of cinema novo by one of Brazil's premier directors, Gláuber Rocha.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, ClassicBRAZIL
Brazil, History, Music/DanceBrazil Revealed
With panoramic high-definition photography and intimate storytelling, Discovery Atlas shows you a new way to connect with the world. Transport yourself to another land like never before through the collective vision and personal lives of those who live there. You will look through their eyes, dream with their vision, share in their joys, and conquer their challenges. Join us in an extraordinary journey....
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, History, Social Life and CustomsBrazil: Heart of South America
This film is intended as an introduction to Brazil, for people of all ages.
Brazil, History, Music/DanceBus 174
In 2000, Sandro do Nascimento, a young man from a poor background, held passengers on a bus hostage for four hours. The event was caught live on television. The movie examines the incident and what life is like in the slums and favelas of Rio de Janeiro and how the criminal justice system in Brazil treats the lower classes. Within the film, Padilha interviews former and current street children, members of the Rio police force, the Rio BOPE police team, family members, and sociologists in order to gain insight into what led Nascimento to carry out the hijacking.
Brazil, Docudrama, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesBye Bye Brasil / Bye Bye Brazil
A small-time traveling sideshow plays over 9,000 miles of backcountry Brazil, a mixture of primitivism and progress. One of the most original and entertaining films of recent years, it is an exotic, entertaining, exuberant, and often very moving film by Carlos Diegues.
Brazil, Classic, ComedyCanudos: Paixão E Guerra No Sertão De Canudos
Produced by Ricardo Gaspar and Selma Santos under the auspices of the University of Bahia and the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, this video depicts the history of the 1897 massacre of thousands of followers of a millenarian movement in the backlands of Northeastern Brazil.
Brazil, HistoryCarandiru
Based on the real life experiences of Doctor Drauzio Varella as a social worker inside the Carandiru state penitentiary in Sao Paulo, the largest correctional facility in Brazil. Hundreds of prisoners live in degrading conditions while an elite group of prisoners rule the actual prison based on their own codes and laws. This rule ends in bloodshed in October 1992 when 300 policemen storm the facility and kill 111 unarmed inmates.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Social IssuesCarmen Miranda: Bananas is my Business
This film relates the intimate saga of the star who captured the world's heart and imagination. It reveals the lasting image of Latin American women she created and serves as a celebration of her glorious talents. Using active footage, film fragments, interviews and dramatic re-enactments, acclaimed director Helena Solberg goes behind the scenes to convey the true life story of the "Brazilian Bombshell."
Biography, Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Music/DanceCentral Do Brasil / Central Station
One of Brazil's most acclaimed films and winner of a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Inside Rio de Janeiro's Central Station, two very unlikely souls are about to become inextricably linked. When a young boy witnesses his mother's accidental death, a lonely retired schoolteacher reluctantly takes the child under her wing.
Brazil, DramaChild of the Dark
Back in the 1960s, Carolina María de Jesus became famous in Brazil after publishing her diary Child of the Dark. In this video, the director Robert Levine introduces this book about the daily life of poor people in Brazil, using images (mainly pictures and pieces of art) of the favelas. Note: This video doesnt have very good sound quality.
Brazil, Literature, Social IssuesCidade Baixa / The Lower City
Deco and Naldinho are best friends in a constant struggle to earn an honest living in the gritty world of Salvador de Bahia's Lower City. When a beautiful prostitute named Karina asks to hitch a ride, the twosome quickly becomes a threesome. To survive life in the Lower City, the trio must learn to accept each other as lovers, friends and enemies.
Brazil, Drama, Social IssuesCidade De Deus / City Of God
In the midst of the streets of the world's most notorious slum, Rio de Janeiro's "City of God," a frail and scared young boy will grow up to discover that he can view the harsh realities of his surroundings with a different eye: the eye of an artist. In the face of impossible odds, his brave ambition to become a professional photographer becomes a window into his world and ultimately his way out.
Brazil, Drama, Social IssuesCinderelas, Lobos, E Principe Encantado
Brazil, Gender/Sexuality, Migration/Immigration, TravelCinderelas, Lobos, E Principe Encantado
A documentary about the Brazilian sex trade, Cinderelas, Lobos, e Principe Encantado explores how poor Brazilian women, mostly black, are lured by middle-aged European men into traveling to Europe with them. European, American, or Canadian men feel that European, American, or Canadian women are too cold and unsensible while the Brazilian women look for the security and freedom that Brazilian men cannot provide. The documentary interviews Brazilian women who were previously sex workers and have now moved to Europe with white men.
Brazil, Gender/Sexuality, Migration/Immigration, TravelCine Mambembe / Cinema Discovers Brazil
A pair of filmmakers journey to the interior of Brazil, screening short films to audiences in town squares. From Bahía to the Amazon, they discover a vast country going to the movies, seeing themselves on the big screen for the first time.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Social IssuesCineastas Indígenas 1: Kuikuro
This 3-part collection includes six films produced by Indigenous filmmakers Kuikuro, Huni Kui and Panara. Part I includes: Imbé Gikegü, Cheiro de pequi (2006, 36 minutes) and Nguné Elü, O dia em que a lua menstruou (2004, 28 min) by Kuikuro.
Part II includes: Xinã Bena, Novos tempos (2006, 52 min) and Huni Meka: Os Cantos do cipo (2006, 25 min) by Hunikui. Part III includes: Kiarãsâ Yõ Sâty, O amendoim da cutia (2005, 52 min) and Prîara Jõ, Depois do ovo, a Guerra (2008, 15 min) by Panará.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, History, Indigenous Peoples, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsCineastas Indígenas 2: Huni Kuí
This 3-part collection includes six films produced by Indigenous filmmakers Kuikuro, Huni Kui and Panara. Part I includes: Imbé Gikegü, Cheiro de pequi (2006, 36 minutes) and Nguné Elü, O dia em que a lua menstruou (2004, 28 min) by Kuikuro.
Part II includes: Xinã Bena, Novos tempos (2006, 52 min) and Huni Meka: Os Cantos do cipo (2006, 25 min) by Hunikui.
Part III includes: Kiarãsâ Yõ Sâty, O amendoim da cutia (2005, 52 min) and Prîara Jõ, Depois do ovo, a Guerra (2008, 15 min) by Panará.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, History, Indigenous Peoples, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsCineastas Indígenas 3: Panaráí
This 3-part collection includes six films produced by Indigenous filmmakers Kuikuro, Huni Kui and Panara. Part I includes: Imbé Gikegü, Cheiro de pequi (2006, 36 minutes) and Nguné Elü, O dia em que a lua menstruou (2004, 28 min) by Kuikuro. Part II includes: Xinã Bena, Novos tempos (2006, 52 min) and Huni Meka: Os Cantos do cipo (2006, 25 min) by Hunikui.
Part III includes: Kiarãsâ Yõ Sâty, O amendoim da cutia (2005, 52 min) and Prîara Jõ, Depois do ovo, a Guerra (2008, 15 min) by Panará.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, History, Indigenous Peoples, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsCinema, Aspirins And Vultures
In 1942, Johann, a lonely German, travels through the Northeast of Brazil in his truck selling aspirins in small villages, using advertisement movies to promote the medicine. He meets and befriends a drifter but later must make a life changing decision between homeland and friends.
Brazil, HistoryCity of Men
Two lifelong friends raised amidst the turmoil of Rio de Janeiro's notorious Pool Hall Hill attempt to navigate the treacherous maze of adulthood after celebrating their 18th birthdays and becoming caught up in the city's endless cycle of violence in director Paulo Morelli's companion piece to the Golden Globe-winning drama City of God. Laranjinha and Acerola may not be bound by blood, but these childhood friends are closer to one another than most brothers. While their friendship has gone a long way in helping them both to cope with the strife that surrounds them, the hard truth is that they will both have to fend for themselves now that they've entered into adulthood. For Laranjinha, entering this stage in life means finding his long-lost father; for Acerola it means finally taking responsibility for his growing family. Now, as Laranjinha's cousin, quick-tempered local drug lord Madrugadão (Jonathan Haagensen), finds his power threatened by his former right-hand man Nefasto (Eduardo BR Piranha), it quickly becomes apparent that a formidable war is brewing in the poverty-stricken shantytown. The brother of Laranjinha's girlfriend, Camila (Naima Silva), looks to be a key component in this battle, threatening to draw a neutral man into a deadly confrontation. Meanwhile, Acerola's wife, Cris (Camila Monteiro), is threatening to move to S?o Paolo so that her family won't be consumed by the violence that has torn apart so many families before.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Drama, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesComo Era Gostoso o Meu Francês / How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
This delicious black comedy, set in the jungles of Brazil, tells the story of a French explorer who in vain tries to be accepted by the tribe of cannibals who has captured him.
Brazil, Drama, HistoryCoração Do Samba
This is a musical documentary about the contagious rhythm of the samba schools' batteries, their origin, instruments, the different suits and their evolution.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsCrise Financeira: O Que Pensam A Juventude Brasileira E As Trabalhadoras Domésticas…?
Financial Crisis: Latin American Youth and Women Domestic Workers' Views" interviews young people and domestic workers about the global financial crisis of 2008-present. Interviewees offer their opinions about the roots of the crisis and offer solutions. Part of 4-DVD collection, "Coletânea Gênero, Raça e Etnia."
Subject: Economics/Development, Social Issues
Denying Brazil
A documentary film about the taboos, stereotypes, and struggles of Black actors in Brazilian television "soaps." Based on his own memories and on a sturdy body of research evidence, the director analyzes race relations in Brazilian soap operas, calling attention to their likely influence on Black people's identity-forming processes.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Country/Region, Drama, History, Politics/Human Rights, SubjectDesigualdades Raciales E Politicas Publicas
A recorded lecture giving historic overview of the black rights movement in Brazil. It explores the institutionalized racism inherent in universalistic public policies and signals the possibilities of implementing other types of public policy.
Brazil, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesDestination Brazil
This documentary follows world traveler Ian Wright through his journeys in Brazil, venturing alongside the Amazon and coast until he reaches Rio. There, Wright provides an informational outlook on both Brazilian culture and the city itself. Viewers will be able to learn more about the place Portuguese, Catholicism and post-colonial history in everyday Brazilian life, as well as witness how unique ceremonies, vibrant landscapes and versatile traditions all weave a rich national heritage.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Social Life and Customs, TravelDEUS E O DIABO NA TERRA DO SOL
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, ClassicDiarios De Motocicleta / Motorcycle Diaries
The Motorcycle Diaries is an adaptation of a journal written by Ernesto Che Guevara when he was 23 years old. He and his friend, Alberto Granado are typical college students who, seeking fun and adventure before graduation, decide to travel across Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Peru in order to do their medical residency at a leper colony. The two best friends start off with the same goals and aspirations, but by the time the film is over, it's clear what each man's destiny has become.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Drama, Literature, PeruDireito à educação e ações afirmativas
A video presentation about the history of the Black Movement in Brazil. This film includes critical analysis of the themes of institutional racism as well as the public policies of Carater Universalista among other types of policies.
Brazil, Politics/Human Rights, Social Movements/ResistanceDomésticas: O Filme
Five maids in São Paulo are observed in this episodic, impressionistic film. The women interact with each other, ride busses, work, and have longings: Rai for a husband, Créo for her lost daughter, Roxane for a career in modeling. Quitéria is naive, a gull for thieves. Cida has a husband and also a lover. While each woman gets what she wishes for (more or less), it doesn't always make things better. As Roxane says, no child sets out to become a maid. But once there, are all other doors closed?
Brazil, Gender/Sexuality, Social Issues, Women's StudiesDona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos
Funny, sexy, and intoxicating. A ribald folktale about a young widow, her respectable new husband, and her dynamic but dead first husband who refuses to stay buried, featuring the sensual Sonia Braga as Dona Flor.
BrazilDust And Lipstick In The Central Plateau / Poeira & batom no Planalto Central
This documentary interviews 50 Brazilian women from varying socio-economic statuses and professions who moved to the area between 1956 and 1960 – a transformative time in the region where most structures and life was in the process of being built. This is a good film for those interested in women studies and the role women played in building Brasilia.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Biography, Brazil, Social Issues, Women's StudiesEl pais de los pueblos
Brazil, Politics/Human Rights, Social Issues, UncategorizedEles Não Usam Black-Tie
Union leader's son doesn't want to engage in a strike, because his wife is pregnant, thus disregarding his father's tradition of political activism.
Brazil, Drama, Economics/Development, Politics/Human Rights, Social Issues, Social Movements/ResistanceElite Squad
Thunderous gun battels and powerhouse performances anchor the groundbreaking story of BOPE, a SWAT-like team at was with the drug lords of Rio de Janeiro. Racing against time, its hard-driving captain puts a pair of rookies through hell in an effort to shape a worthy successor and clear out a drug-infested slum before his imminent retirement. Based on a book by two former real-life BOPE captains, Elite Squad's brutal honesty and raw action focked Brazil to its foundations and gripped viewers worldwide.
Brazil, Social IssuesEntreatos
This film documents the 2002 presidential campaign of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvia for thirty days. The film is less focused on the public appearances of Lula and more on the behind the scenes action of the campaign team, including strategy meetings, private conversations, and family interactions. (2 disc set)
BrazilEu, Tu, Eles
Based on a true story, this film is set in the beautifully majestic landscape of rural Brazil. Darlene, a determined woman, abruptly uproots herself from her small town to find a man who can fulfill her desires. Three years later and still single, Darlene returns to her hometown and accepts a modest marriage proposal from her humble neighbor Osias. Before long, Darlene finds herself in a grueling work routine while Osias oversees from the comfort of a hammock. The film portrays Darlene's struggle to find happiness and love in this isolated town in Brazil. Best Pictures and Best Actress at Cinema Brazil Festival. Official Selection 2001 Sundance Film Festival.
BrazilFavela Rising
Favela Rising documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of his family and many friends, Anderson Sá is a former drug-trafficker who turns social revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street, and Afro-Brazilian dance, he rallies his community to counteract the violence and oppression.
Brazil, Music/Dance, Social Movements/ResistanceFilhas Do Vento
Two sisters from the state of Minas Gerais are reunited after several years apart when their father dies and are forced to confront each other about the ill feelings generated by the hurts of the distant past.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Social Life and CustomsFive T.V. Documentaries Of Environmental Issues
Made by Lia de Souza, Brazil. Portugese. 1.CUL GERAI-Historias da Pedra Furada 2.Especial Ianomami 3.Wareté 4.Antártida 5.Alcatrazes
BrazilFour Days In September
This thriller is based on the true-life events. In 1969, the MR-8 urban guerrillas kidnap the US Ambassador to Brazil (Alan Arkin) to demand the release of prisoners held by the military junta. The dictatorship's secret police close in on the bungled operation while time runs out. Now, the diplomat’s life hangs in the balance, caught between a government unwilling to cooperate, and his fear for the captors themselves.
Biography, Brazil, Drama, HistoryFronteira, A (The Border)
The story of two Brazilian families who put everything at risk to cross the border into the United States from Mexico, in search of a better life. Having gotten over the first leg of their journey, they all confront unexpected obstacles as they struggle to both reach their goals and adapt to their new reality. They fight for their dreams with the same courage and determination with which they cross new frontiers that appear on their way. Entirely based on true stories that were compiled to make up this beautiful and moving story.
Brazil, USAHeavier Than Air
This documentary challenges the popular understanding that the Wright brothers were the “first in flight.” It treats the life of Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont and his mission to create “heavier than air” flying technology.
Brazil, USAHora Da Estrela, A
In this film based on the book by Clarice Lispector, Macabea is a young woman from the countryside of northeast Brazil who lives in the sprawling city of Sao Paulo. The mixture of bitter reality and gentle, humorous fantasy has been compared with the works of Fellini, Chaplin and DeSica, and earned Suzana Amaral's first feature status as an instant cinematic classic.
BrazilHouse Of Sand, The
Filmed entirely on the magnificent, sandy coast of northern Brazil, Aurea's saga begins in 1910, in Maranhao, where her fanatical husband has relocated his family to start a farm. Desperate and pregnant, Aurea longs to return to the city, but cannot traverse the dunes with her aging mother, Maria in tow. When calamity strikes, the two women find themselves stranded. Eventually, they settle among the shifting sands and Aurea finds peace. But her passionate daughter, Maria, longs to explore the world beyond the dunes.
BrazilI Am Cuba: Bonus Disc 1
A visually stunning film that was made in Cuba between 1961 and 1964 by the acclaimed Soviet director Mikhail Kalatozov (The Cranes Are Flying). The camera work is amazing in this propaganda epic that portrays four vignettes of Cuba in the period immediately prior to the 1959 Revolution. The film is a rivetingly beautiful examination of the social and economic conditions in Cuba during the Batista era. Part 1 of 3 Other parts: -The Siberian Mammoth (Part 2) -A film about Mikhail Kalatozov (Part 3)
Brazil, CubaI Am Cuba: The Siberian Mammoth (Bonus Disc 2)
"The Siberian Mammoth" A documentary on the making of "Soy Cuba," with various interviews and old footage both from the film and from the early revolution. Other parts: -I Am Cuba(Part 1) -A film about Mikhail Kalatozov (Part 3)
Brazil, CubaI Was Born A Black Woman (Nasci Mulher Negra)
This film recounts the remarkable life of Benedita da Silva, the first Afro-Brazilian woman to be elected to Brazil's senate. Her long history of struggle in the shantytowns, the women's movement and the black movement created the base for her enormous popularity as an organizer, a politician and an international role model.
BrazilIlha Das Flores
This is an hilarious but devastating film about values, the food chain, and the human condition. Ultimately, a Brazilian island where pigs eat first, and the people are fed what the pigs leave over provides an example of how arbitrarily we have arrived at the human food chain and system of exchange that we now know.
Brazil, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsJOGO DE CENA
Brazil, Country/Region, Gender/Sexuality, Social Issues, Social Life and Customs, Subject, Women's StudiesJogo De Cena
In this film, ordinary Brazilian women who have responded to a newspaper ad tell part of their life stories to director Eduardo Coutinho. In September of the same year, actresses interpret, in their own way, the stories told by those chosen. There are three levels of representation in the film. First, real people tell of their real lives. Second, these characters serve as a challenge to the actors. And third, some of these actors then act out or speak about their own real lives. This film was donated by Duke University Visiting Instructor Aaron Lorenz.
Brazil, Country/Region, Gender/Sexuality, Subject, Women's StudiesKeeper Of Promises (O Pagador De Promessas)
Zé is a very poor man from the Brazilian countryside. His most prized possession is his donkey. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé makes a promise to Saint Bárbara: If his donkey recovers, he will carry a cross - like Jesus - all the way from his city to Saint Bárbara's church in the state capital. Upon the recover of his donkey, Zé leaves on his journey. He makes it to the church, but the priest refuses to accept the cross once he came to know the context of Zé's promise. Please note: this film does not have subtitles. It is not rated and includes scenes of domestic violence and some sexual content.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, ReligionKiss Of The Spider Woman (Beso De La Mujer Araña )
Political prisoner Valentín Arregui and homosexual pederast Luis Molina share a Brazilian prison cell in this fantastical drama from Manuel Puig’s book by the same title. Molina helps pass time by recounting memories from one of his favorite films, a wartime romantic thriller that just may also be a Nazi propaganda film, in order to spur Valentin’s imagination and distract him from the brutal realities of political imprisonment and separation from his love.
Brazil, Drama, Social IssuesLendo Voces
More than 150 million Brazilians have disabilitating visual impairment. This film talks about reading to the blind in Salvador, Brazil. It also talks about increasing visually impaired Brazilians' access to brazilian literature and how that is achieved.
BrazilLuzia
Set on the vast and beautiful plains of central Brazil, LUZIA is a movie in the tradition of the American western. Luzia is a cowgirl caught in a clash between squatters and the powerful ranch owners. Her extraordinary rodeo skills and stunning beauty attract the attention of the landowners whose history of marauding returns to gain revenge.
BrazilMadame Satã
Born to slaves in the arid wasteland of NortBrazil and sold by his mother at the age of 7 for amule, Joao Francisco dos Santos battled all stereotypes on the mean streets of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Jailed for 27 of his 76 years, dos Santos was an explosive figure prone to excessive bouts of violence and moments of extreme tenderness the next. Karim Ainouz's extraordinary and complex portrait of the triumphs and tragedy of this colorful personality unfolds against the vibrant, sordid backgrouns of Lapa in the 1930s> a thronging underworld of pimps and whores, of cut-throats, queers and artists, of dark bars and brotherls thick with smoke, drenched in sweat and cheap perfume. A world filled with violence and raw desire, where desperate dreams spring from poverty and squalor.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Music/Dance, Social IssuesMan Who Copied, The
omance and intrigue await a poor copy machine operator who learns that counterfeiting and murder are a lethal combination in this enthralling Brazilian thriller that blends good-humored romanticism, poignant social observations and exciting criminal action. Fresh from his success in the acclaimed hit Madame Sat, handsome Lzaro Ramos stars as 20 year-old Andre, a dreamer whose days consist of working at a copying store while at night he draws comic book fantasies and spies on Silvia (Leandra Leal), the beautiful clothing store salesgirl who lives across the street. After he summons enough courage to meet her, their lives take an unpredictable turn when the lure of cash proves to be too great a temptation. In combining magical realism and comedy, director Jorge Furtado creates a new cinematic vision that is propelled by a lively soundtrack and a first-class ensemble cast.
Art, Brazil, Comedy, Drama, Economics/Development, Social IssuesManda Bala (Send A Bullet)
An examination of corruption and class warfare in Brazil as told through the stories of a wealthy businessman, a plastic surgeon who assists kidnapping victims and a politician whose income relies on a frog farm.
BrazilMango Yellow
Short stories revolving around a bar and a hotel in Recife, unveil a mosaic of exotic characters living in the Brazilian underground: a butcher married with an evangelical woman, a necrophile in love with a bar owner, a transvestite, and many others.
Art, Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Social IssuesMargarette’s Feast
The film tells an allegory of Brazil's social struggles without words while making use of Brazilian music. After losing his job, goodhearted but penniless Pedro comes into possession of a miraculous suitcase that never runs out of money, allowing him to throw an extravagant birthday party for his wife.
Art, Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Music/Dance, Social IssuesMassacre Do Corumbiara, O
"O Massacre de Corumbiara" advocates the need for radical agrarian reform in Brazil through an emotional examination of a massacre of peaceful, landless rural laborers by the military police in the Amazonian state of Rondônia in August 1995. It includes testimony from witnesses to the massacre and provides a side of the story ignored or simplified by most of the mainstream press. Filmed by Georges Bourdoukan and the Chico Mendes Committee three days after the killings, the video brings the plight of landless Brazilians to non-Brazilian eyes.
BrazilMaster and Slaves / Casa Grande e Senzala Parts 1 to 4
A discussion of the 1933 text Casa Grande & Senzala (Masters and Slaves) by Brazilian anthropologist and historian, Gilberto Freyre, this documentary consists of four 1-hour segments. The camera follows Prof. Edson Nery, friend and biographer of Freyre, on an exploration of Brazils colonial past that blurs the lines between history, art, and the social sciences. In addition to explaining the circumstances of colonization it also examines the darker, sensual side of Brazil's past in an attempt to define what the country is today.
Brazil, HistoryMiddle Of The World, The
Romao, illiterate and unemployed, feels destiny drawing him on an odyssey to Rio de Janeiro in pursuit of a job and a decent life. Based on a true story, the movie follows a family of seven on a journay 2000 miles across the hinterlands of Brazil on bicycles. Along the way, director Vicente Amorim beautifully explores the inner dynamics of a family facing a great challenge. The Middle of the World is an unimaginable road movie, both graceful and tender, about having the courage to pursue your dream.
Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Drama, Social Issues, TravelMissao de Pesquisas Folcloricas Cadernetas de Campo
This DVD brings the field notebooks used by the researchers sent to the North and Northeast of the Country in 1938 by the then director of the Department of Culture of Sao Paulo, Mario de Andrade. Material, until now inaccessible to the Folkloric Research Mission, the books were digitized, transcribed and their images edited in an interactive program, in addition to being illustrated by the material recorded by the team, such as photographs, films and phonograms. Navigation can be carried out from each small notebook, with a reading centered on the notes of each researcher, or by the team's itinerary, whose diary organized by Flavia camargo Toni allows diving and understanding of the activities carried out day by day by members of the Mission.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Indigenous Peoples, Social Life and CustomsMoro No Brasil
This film is a musical road trip deep into the heart of Brazil. Along the trip, the director showcases the diversity and richness of the Brazilian Music.
Brazil, Music/DanceO outro lado da rua / The Other Side Of The Street
Regina, a lonely and retired grandmother, defies social expectations maintaining a very active lifestyle in Rio de Janeiro's urban life. She does this largely by supplying the police with tips on criminal activities in the area. When she witnesses what she believes is a murder across the street, she tries to obtain incriminating statements from the supposed perpetrator but in the process her whole world changes...
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Social IssuesÓ Pai, Ó
During the Carnival in the historical site of Pelourinho (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil), we follow the lives of the tenants of a falling-to-pieces tenement house who try to get by using creativity, irony, humor and music.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsOdo Ya! Life With Aids
A poetic documentary exploration of efforts by members of the Afro-Brazilian communities in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador, Bahia, Brazil to combat the spread of AIDS by drawing from their own cultural and religious traditions.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Health, Religion, Social IssuesOnce Upon a Time in Rio
De and Nina come from opposite worlds; he is a working-class guy who lives in the favelas; she is a high-class student who lives in a bubble of wealth and so-called-safety. Crossing all boundaries of Rio's social apartheid, they end up falling in love at the common-grounds of Ipanema beach. Inevitably, growing from the guts of a magical city, their true love test every limit of a fractured society.
Brazil, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesOnda No Ar, Uma / Something In The Air
This is a comedy drama that captures the joy and sadness of life in much of South America. It is based on the true story of four friends who decide to install a communal pirate radio station. Called Rádio Favela, this station is erected in a shanty-town to give voice to the outcasts' complaints.
BrazilOrfeu
The legend of Orpheus and Eurydice is retold against the madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The story is enhanced by brilliant performances, thrilling music, and magnificent color photography.
Brazil, Classic, Country/Region, SubjectOrfeu Negro / Black Orpheus
The legend of Orpheus and Eurydice is retold against the madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The story is enhanced by brilliant performances, thrilling music, and magnificent color photography.
BrazilOrisha Tradition, The: The Gods In Exile
A documentary about the mixture of Catholic and Afro-Brazilian religious traditions.
Brazil, ReligionOwners Of The Water: Conflict And Collaboration Over Rivers
The Xavante of central Brazil and the Wayuu of Venezuela are two indigenous groups who both face considerable challenges in their efforts to maintain control over and access to one of the most basic of natural resources, fresh water. In this compelling documentary an anthropologist from the United States collaborates with a member of the Xavante and a member of the Wayuu to explore the ways in which indigenous peoples are responding to threats to their environment and natural resources. The film focuses primarily on efforts by the Xavante to combat the deforestation and excessive use of agritoxins associated with the expanding Brazilian soy industry that threatens the viability of the Rio das Mortes as a viable water source. Through a focus on this particular movement, the filmmakers explore the close connection between the the goals of protecting our environment and defending the interests of indigenous peoples, as well as an growing solidarity among indigenous peoples throughout South America that is centered around mobilization with respect to environmental issues.
Brazil, Economics/Development, Environment/Geography, Indigenous Peoples, Social Movements/Resistance, VenezuelaPeões
Workers from the industrial ABC region of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo are interviewed twenty-three years after their strike led by Luis Inácio "Lula" da Silva. In 1979 Brazil lived under a dictatorship and the members of the metalworkers union were the first group of workers to organize a strike during the rule of military regime. Interviews of the workers who participated in this movement appear alongside footage of their demonstrations and narrative explaining the political and economic situation in Brazil at the time. Strike leader Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil just as production of this film was being completed.
Brazil, History, Politics/Human RightsPixote
Ten-year-old Pixote (Portuguese slang for Peewee) is one of three million homeless children in Brazil. Hauled off to a crowded detention center, wide-eyed Pixote witnesses rapes, beatings and other acts of random violence by both the guards and the inmates. With the tranvestite Lilica and his lover Dito, Pixote escapes from the reform school and embarks on a life of violence and crime.
BrazilQuando O Crioulo Dança
This film by a young Brazilian woman deals with racism as it impacts and is expressed through the daily lives of black Brazilians. It demystifies the idea that Brazilian society is without racial prejudices. Bronze medal winner at the International Film and TV Festival of New York.
BrazilQuilombo
A handsome tale of revolution and conflict, set in the mid-1600s. Disgruntled slaves in northeastern Brazil leave their plantations and form Quilombo de Palmares-their own democratic nation in the jungle. This doesn't sit well with the Portuguese landowners, who send in their troops to restore control. This historical saga is a stirring fusion of folklore, political impact, and dynamic story-telling, realized in vibrant colors and set to the pulsing beat of Gilberto Gil's musical score.
Brazil, Colonial, Drama, History, Social Movements/ResistanceQuilombo Country: Afrobrazilian Villages In The 21st Century
Quilombo Country examines the communities established by runaway slaves in 19th century Brazil as they navigate the hazards of the modern world, observing the daily activities that allow the quilombolas to survive in relative isolation. This film also offers rare footage of two ceremonies and many other celebrations.
Brazil, Social IssuesQuilombos De Bahia
Fantastic documentary about black communities in the State of Bahia. The Brazilian concept of Quilombos has come to mean the communities that were constituted out of the struggle of rebel slaves during the centuries of slavery, as territories of housing, resistance and social organization. These communities represented the enjoyment of autonomy by rebel slaves, as a reaction to white domination. Many communities now are impoverished and struggle to gain a suitable standard of living.
Brazil, HistoryRaça. Um Filme Sobre A Igualdade
Raça tackles racial inequality in Brazil, via the lives of three black Brazilians: Paulo Paim, the only black senator of the republic; Netinho Paula, singer and TV presenter, and Tiny dos Santos, Maroon activist and granddaughter of slaves. The filmmakers followed these 3 people for a number of years - people they consider are on the frontlines of the country's race debate/divide - in an effort to bring something unique to the public.
Brazil, Social Issues, Social Life and Customs, Social Movements/ResistanceRace And History In Brazil: Aleijadinho
This is a special 2-DVD Set. The first DVD is titled "Aleijadinho: Passion, Glory and Torment" and is set in 18th century Brazil - a time when slavery was still the foundation of the Latin American economy. This fascinating historical drama is loosely based on the life of Black sculptor Antonio Francisco Lisboa "Aleijadinho," one of the greatest sculptors of Latin America. The second DVD is a documentary "Denying Brazil," covering taboos, stereotypes, and struggles of Black actors in Brazilian television "soaps." Based on his own memories and on a sturdy body of research evidence, the director analyzes race relations in Brazilian soap operas, calling attention to their likely influence on Black People's identity-forming processes.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Docudrama, History, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesRegina Vater: Six Videos On Brazil
This video contains six segments in Portuguese with no subtitles. "Turning Sadness Inside Out" (1985, 18 minutes) is about Rio's Carnival. It is basically a musical where the lyrics somehow cements the images. "From Brazil by Brazilians" (1993, 20 minutes) is an experimental video of interviews with five Brazilian intellectuals, mixed with street and country scenes. This segment also shows how Brazilians see themselves and how they feel about the European and American perception of them. "Tupi or not Tupi" (1988, 18 minutes) contains fragments of interviews with filmmaker Vera Figueredo, famous theater director José Celso Martines Correia, writer and scholar Antonio Medina, and American composer John Cage, regarding their feelings about Brazil and Brazilian culture. "Nature Still Alive" (1993, 5 minutes) is a short work about ecology and conscience, computer edited. This segment works in analogical and metaphorical discourse, and is the result of edited images of animals with Regina Vater's "Nature Mortes" (collection of photographs). "Green" (1991, 30 minutes) is a film made for a video installation in the Royal National Museum of Antwerp in 1992. This film is about the destruction of America's ecology and culture by the Europeans. At the same time, it deals with the foods America provided Europe with the discoveries. The last segment of this video (1993, unfinished) contains a fragment of an hour video recording most of Regina Vater's art works from 1979 to 1993. In this video the artist reads a statement on her ideas about art.
Art, Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Environment/Geography, Social Life and CustomsRight to Mourn
Brazil, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesRomance Da Empregada / The Story Of Fausta
Betty Faria stars as Fausta, a quirky cleaning lady whose sexy swinging hips open the door to a more comfortable life. When an old widower breaks the ice and buys Fausta perfume and a drink, she sees a way out of her dead-end marriage and the shanty town that traps her. The bawdy sitcom hilarity of Fausta and her relationships are infused with a deeper message in the film's startling conclusion.
Brazil, Comedy, Drama, Social Life and CustomsSatori Uso
A poet from the shadows, a filmmaker with no films and an enigmatic muse. Inspired by the work of Brazilian writer and poet Rodrigo Garcia Lopes, it is a sort of "false documentary" about the poet’s time in the city of Londrina in the fifties as told through the eyes of American filmmaker Jim Kleist. Neither the poet nor the filmmaker actually existed – they are both fictional characters. Satori Uso, the poet, was invented in 1986, and his haikus were published in the literary section of local Brazilian newspaper Folha de Londrina.
BrazilSavage Capitalism
This blockbuster Brazilian feature uses soap-opera melodrama to tell the story of a beautiful romance between a reporter and a mining company executive. But the romance crumbles when the executive's wife, long presumed dead, returns and drives the couple, the company, and the country to the brink of a national disaster.
BrazilSeams
Directed by Karim Ainouz, a young Brazilian American filmmaker, who traveled back to his home in Brazil to interview on film his five delightfully eccentric unmarried or widowed aunts on their views of love, family and marriage. These women all in their eighties or nineties seem more liberated and more at ease with certain issues than many people of today.
Brazil, Latinos/Chicanos, USASeis Historias Brasileiras: Santa Cruz
Seis Historias Brasileiras: Santa Cruz shows the development of an evangelical church in the Santa Cruz suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the transformations that the church has made in the lives its congregation. The director wanted to show point of views that are rarely shown in the news. The film was originally released as a television series in 2000.
Brazil, Religion, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsSertao Das Memorias, O
This film tells the story of two Sertanejos, the inhabitants of Sertão. Maria is the female reincarnation of Jesus, representing the strength of the Sartanejo women. She invites the Beatas (holy women) on a mission of prayer for which they journey through the countryside, witnessing social unrest among the population. Maria meets the hero of the peasants, the strong worker Antero whose history intermingles with hers. Through mythical dreams, visions, and stories heard along their journey, we witness the unfolding of Biblical prophecy in which Old Testament texts mingle with the folktales of the Sertão
BrazilShoeshine President, The / O Presidente Engraxate
Shot in streets of Sao Paulo, THE SHOESHINE PRESIDENT asks Brazilians what they think about their new president, Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva. From the heart of the celebrations, this film captures the heady atmosphere of history in the making--the most important chapter in Brazilian history for a generation.
BrazilStories Of My Grandparents, The
The Stories of My Grandparents is a long-term project that brings to life the Mayan legends that are such an important part of the Yucatec Maya oral tradition. The project is inspired in Ana Rosa Suarte’s first attempts to put the stories that she heard as a child in video.
BrazilTemptations Of Brother Sebastian, The
The story of a Brazilian monk's quest to be ordained as a priest against a backdrop of personal crises, war, and social collapse. Brother Sebastian confronts numerous obstacles, including his guilt at being raped as a child, his attraction for the beautiful, androgynous Gabriel, doubts about his faith, the torments of a mysterious demon, and the growing jealousy of the man who raped him, now a fellow brother in Sebastian's order. The year is 2030.
BrazilTeresa Poester – 10.357 KM Em Linha
This documentary reveals the artist's creative process in the series in which she uses large paper and ballpoint pen. The documentary opens the series Collection Processes de Creation, an initiative designed for the production of a set of short documentary films that portray the process of creating contemporary Gaucho artists from different areas. The documentary by Niura Borges presents a specific cut in the production of 35 years of Teresa Poester's career, one of the most renowned artists in the state. The film features testimonials by artists Antônio Augusto Bueno, Laura Castilhos, Maria Helena Bernardes and Marilice Corona, by the poet and writer Armindo Trevisan, by the filmmaker Jorge Furtado, by the student Kelvin Koubik.
Art, Biography, Brazil, DocudramaTerra Em Transe
One of the great art films of the Brazilian Cinema Novo, director Rocha's 1967 work is a meditation on the ambiguities of political power, revolutionary ideologies, and the transformative potential of art. It is a satirical film, based on a real life politician. The political allegory follows its protagonist narrator, a fictional poet, as he recalls the events leading up to his demise.
BrazilTerras
Terras ("Lands") is a documentary about the border of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, located in the heart of the Amazon. On this triple frontier the twin towns of Leticia (Colombia) and Tabatinga (Brazil) form an urban island surrounded by forest. It is a region marked by a constant flow of people from diverse origins, where ancestral and contemporary cultures live side-by-side. Through photography and sound, Terras explores the concept of frontier beyond the territorial demarcations that divide nations. Immersing itself in the daily lives of the towns and their inhabitants, this documentary uses a poetic and reflective approach to reflect on the relationship and contact between different nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures.
Border, Brazil, Environment/Geography, Indigenous Peoples, Social Life and CustomsThe Sound Of Rio: Brasileirinho
A musical documentary about choro, the first genuinely urban Brazilian music, which blended European, Afro-Brazilian and indigenous elements and formed the basis for popular musical styles such as Samba and Bossa Nova.
Brazil, Music/DanceThe Year My Parents Went On Vacation / O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias
The year is 1970, and Mauro (Michel Joelsas) is taken to live with his grandfather while his mother and father flee the politically repressive Brazilian regime. As the nation prepares to watch their team compete in the soccer World Cup, Mauro anticipates the return of his parents. When his grandfather dies suddenly, he is set adrift and befriends the characters who live in the surrounding Jewish neighborhood, all the while anxiously awaiting news of his parents' fate.
Brazil, Drama, Migration/Immigration, Politics/Human Rights, Social Issues, Social Movements/ResistanceTieta De Agreste
A story about a young girl, Tieta thrown out of her house for sexual indiscretions, only to return 26 years later triumphantly as the rich and powerful widow of an industrialist. Tieta and Leonora, whom she introduces as her stepdaughter, inspire an upheaval in the Life of Sant’Ana. In the midst of all the uproar, the darkest secret of Tieta’s life is revealed and she is forced to leave the village once again. Feature.
BrazilTrabalho Domestico, Trabalho Decente
"Domestic Work, Decent Work" portrays the reality of African descendants and indigenous women domestic workers in Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, and Paraguay in their quest for rights, respect, and dignity. The documentary highlights opportunities and challenges for these countries in promoting women's economic rights and empowerment. Produced by TV Brasil International, this documentary series was funded and technically assisted by UNIFEM Brazil and Southern Cone through its Regional Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty Program. Part of 4-DVD collection, "Coletânea Gênero, Raça e Etnia."
Brazil, Economics/Development, Gender/Sexuality, Social Issues, Women's StudiesTrem Para As Estrelas, Um
A young musician from the poor suburbs of Rio searches for his lost love. From Guadalupe to the cosmopolitan south zone, Vinicius embarks on an almost mythic urban odyssey. Vinicius' journey, both tragic and comic leads ultimately to redemption. For having lost all innocence, he is redeemed by the irrepressible life-forces of poetry and the wailing of a single saxophone in a Brazilian night.
BrazilUma Mãe Como Eu
This film records the testimonies of mothers in Brazil whose sons have been the victims of police brutality and who have united to fight this systemic problem in their nation.
Brazil, Gender/Sexuality, Politics/Human Rights, Social Issues, Social Movements/Resistance, Women's StudiesVera (1987)
After having spent part of her life in an orphanage/reform school (where she learned that this is a man's world), Vera attempts assimilation into polite Brazilian society. However, by the time she leaves the orphanage she is convinced that she is a man inhabiting a woman's body. A movie about gender formation and deformation.
Brazil, Gender/Sexuality, Women's StudiesVidas secas
This film takes place in the years 1940 to 1942, between the two great droughts that devastated the Brazilian Nordeste (Northeast). The movie, based on a novel by Graciliano Ramos, is a meditation about the agrarian question and the problem of migration to the Northeast regions of Brazil.
Brazil, Migration/Immigration, Social IssuesVideo nas aldeias / Video in the Villages
A project organized by the Centro de Trabalho Indigenista in which different indigenous groups in the Amazon have been provided with video training and equipment. Uses include recording ceremonies for future generations, taping political discussions, recording the promises of government officials, and documenting their struggles for the environment and their lands.
Brazil, Indigenous PeoplesWarrior Of Light
Documentary about artist Yvonne Bezzerra de Mello, a human rights activist and her work with homeless boys in Rio de Janeiro.
Biography, Brazil, Docudrama, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesWaste Land
Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Mixes art with social projects. Addresses issues such as classism.
Art, Brazil, Environment/Geography, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesXica da Silva
A diamond rush in the 1700s transformed Brazil's interior into a place of fabulous wealth and excess. In this unrestrained atmosphere, the slave Xica uses her iron will and her unique sexual talent to seduce her way into becoming the unofficial Empress of Brazil, lording it over her former masters and gleefully emptying the crown's treasury.
Brazil, Drama, Gender/SexualityYAKWA: O BANQUETE DOS ESPIRITOS
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Indigenous Peoples, Social Life and CustomsYakwa: O Banquete Dos Espiritos
Documenting the most important ritual of the Enauêne-Nawê Indians, the seven months every year that the spirits of the dead are venerated with offerings of food, song, and dance so they will protect the community and bless it with an abundant harvest and great quantities of fish.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Indigenous Peoples, Social Life and Customs