Category: Culture/Festivals/Food
A 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 CustomsAfrican Mexicans of Costa Chica And Padre Glyn Jemmott
African Mexicans of Costa Chica And Padre Glyn Jemmott: Strengthening the Dialogue of the Daughters and Sons of the Diaspora. An interview with Father Glyn Jemmott about his trajectory, his work in Costa Chica and Afro Mexicans communities.
Culture/Festivals/Food, History, MexicoAjayu
Death in the Aymara culture is an experience in which the mourners, the community, the souls participate together. Age-old rituals, mixed with Catholic symbols assimilated by the people, frame the story of Andres and his young daughter Leonora. Upon drowning in Lake Titikaka, they must find their way to Korimarca (the Aymara Heaven) with help from the members of the community to which they belonged.
Bolivia, Culture/Festivals/Food, Indigenous Peoples, Social Life and CustomsAlpacas: An Andean Gamble
A documentary about the efforts to bring alpacas, indigenous animals of the Andes who were sacred in Inca culture, to a community in Northern Peru. Populations of alpacas were devastated during the Spanish conquest. The film depicts this cooperative project, which was initiated in the small Andean community and sponsored by the Interamerican Foundation.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Culture/Festivals/Food, Indigenous Peoples, PeruBrazil 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 CustomsBuried Mirror, The. Part 1: The Virgin and The Bull
A co-production of Spanish television and the Smithsonian Institute, this Quincentenary series, narrated by the well known Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes, is an excellent historical analysis and creatively filmed story of the encounter of two worlds in 1492 and the aftermath of this encounter. 5 hours in total, it can be shown separately or individually. In this first installment Fuentes examines the meaning of mestizaje, the mix of people that created Latin America: Spanish, Arab, Jewish, Indian and African.
(five part series)
Buried Mirror, The. Part 2: The Conflict of The Gods
A co-production of Spanish television and the Smithsonian Institute, this Quincentenary series, narrated by the well known Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes, is an excellent historical analysis and creatively filmed story of the encounter of two worlds in 1492 and the aftermath of this encounter. 5 hours in total, it can be shown separately or individually. In part 2 Fuentes retraces the indigenous world through its pyramids and sculptures. The return of their blond, exiled god, Quetzalcoatl, was forecast for the very year Cortes reached its shores.
(five part series)
Buried Mirror, The. Part 3: The Age of Gold
A co-production of Spanish television and the Smithsonian Institute, this Quincentenary series, narrated by the well known Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes, is an excellent historical analysis and creatively filmed story of the encounter of two worlds in 1492 and the aftermath of this encounter. 5 hours in total, it can be shown separately or individually. In the third installment Fuentes highlights the enormous wealth that Spain extracted from its colonies during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He also highlights the so-called "Columbian exchange" and its effects in the Old World.
(five part series)
Buried Mirror, The. Part 4: The Price of Freedom
A co-production of Spanish television and the Smithsonian Institute, this Quincentenary series, narrated by the well known Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes, is an excellent historical analysis and creatively filmed story of the encounter of two worlds in 1492 and the aftermath of this encounter. 5 hours in total, it can be shown separately or individually. In the fourth part of this series Fuentes focuses on the process and legacy of Latin America's struggle for independence from Spain. Fuentes travels to Mexico and different parts of South America, focusing on historical characters like Miguel Hidalgo, Simón Bolívar, and José de San Martín.
(five part series)
Buried Mirror, The. Part 5: Unfinished Business
A co-production of Spanish television and the Smithsonian Institute, this Quincentenary series, narrated by the well known Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes, is an excellent historical analysis and creatively filmed story of the encounter of two worlds in 1492 and the aftermath of this encounter. 5 hours in total, it can be shown separately or individually. In this final episode of the series Fuentes explores the pan-Hispanic-American cultures of the present day. pain, Latin America and the Hispanic communities in the United States all have undergone enormous changes. Fuentes comments on the traditions which Hispanic immigrants bring to the US in art, music and dance, respect for family ties distinct hallmarks of the Spanish-speaking world.
(five part series)
Chocolate: Pathway To The Gods
Our universal passion for chocolate goes back over 3,000 years. This documentary explores the history of this divine substance through artifacts, ritual, and obsession; and takes the viewer on a journey from ancient Mesoamerica to Europe's finest chocolate houses. It is the first documentary of a series focusing on four ritual foods of the Americas: chocolate, tequila, corn and potatoes. Produced by Archeo Productions.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Culture/Festivals/Food, Latin AmericaChristmas In Mexico
This film looks at the Christmas traditions of Mexico, which feature influences from both Spanish and Native American backgrounds. Intended primarily for younger audiences, with highlights of the celebrations. Produced by the Educational Video Network
Culture/Festivals/FoodCuban Americans, The
An exploration of the experience of Cubans living in the United States, focusing especially on the nature of the community since 1959. The film avoids explicit discussions of politics and instead focuses on the maintenance of community, culture and identity among Cubans now living in the United Staes. Through interviews with numerous celebrities, the film explores the experience of leaving Cuba and subsequent exile in the United States, that challenges of building lives as newly arrived immigrants in the United States, and the cultural forms that served as vehicles for the preservation of Cuban identity.
Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, History, Latinos/Chicanos, Migration/Immigration, USACubanos, Los: Bretón Es Un Bebé
This documentary combines social commentary with surrealism to explore the Cuban soul. The filmmakers take the viewer on a trip through the heart of twenty-first-century Cuba, making stops in Pinar del Río, los Acuáticos, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, and Guaraabuya. In each stopping place, local lore and characters help present an overall portrait of Cuban history, society, and culture.
Art, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Social Life and CustomsDay Of The Dead In Janitzio, The
Experience the ancestral rituals of the Day of the Dead as it takes place in the mystic atmosphere of Jantzio. Watch as the people prepare themselves to receive their dead relatives as they clean and decorate graves and they set beautiful tables or altars in which they place offerings of food, liquor, cigarettes and flowers for the enjoyment of the visiting dead. In the evening the people go to the cemetery to bid farewell to the dead using thousands of candles to guide them on their long journey back.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Mexico, Social Life and CustomsDay Of The Dead: San Francisco / Dia De Los Muertos
This film captures the beauty and richness of San Franciscos annual Day of the Dead celebration. Enjoy scenes from this cross-cultural Mexican tradition that honors ancestors and families. People of all ages celebrate with a festival of marvelous costumes, reflective altars, live music and a neighborhood procession, all while exploring the relationship between the living and the dead. View all these aspects of the Dia de los Muertos holiday along with interviews with artists and participants.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Latinos/Chicanos, USADestination 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, TravelFood For The Ancestors: The Mexican Celebration Of The Days Of The Dead
This film documents the weeklong Mexican celebration known as Days of the Dead. This festival honors the memories of loved ones who have died. Food for the Ancestors explores this festival as it takes place in the culturally rich state of Puebla. The program is also very focused on the special food that is made for this celebration. The climatic portion of the film, and of the festival, occurs on November first when family members spend the entire night sitting at self decorated gravesites waiting for their ancestors to return.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Mexico, Social Life and CustomsGeografias Suaves 1
A series of shorts from the 2004 Geografias Suaves regional film festival which feature Maya speaking peoples from Yucatan and Chiapas. The shorts include a video postcard documenting the lives and everyday experiences of children and their communities as well as stories based on folklore and oral tradition from the region.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Social Life and CustomsKeeper 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, ReligionLos 50 Vividos
Los 50 Vividos offers insight into the intellectual and cultural side of Cuba. The Union de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) or the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba was founded by Nicolas Guillen, the national poet of Cuba. The film features Guillen’s poems, photos of the various congresses of the UNEAC starting in 1961 through 2008, photos of different festivals, awards, and interviews of the founders of the UNEAC and its major collaborators. The film also includes a section showcasing the music of more than twenty Cuban artists.
Art, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/DanceMadame 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 IssuesMango 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 IssuesMasks Of Mexico: The Art Of An Enduring Culture
This documentary goes on location to rarely seen gatherings in remote villages where masks are still an essential part of festivals such as Day of the Dead, Corpus Christi and Winter Celebrations. This video traces the ritual use of masks, beginning with Aztec priests and warriors, and explores the influence of Spanish friars who used masks to spread the teachings of Christianity. The result is a vibrant blend of indigenous and European traditions that gives this art form its distinctive flavor.
Art, Culture/Festivals/Food, Mexico, Music/DanceMayas U Su’ut Ka’ansah
Filmed in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán, "U Su'us Ka'ansah (The Cycle of Teaching) depicts the living ancestral science within Mayan communities. We are given the opportunity to partake in their cultural practices, experiences, and knowledge, as well as their unique ways of thinking. In addition, the documentary reveals ancient Mayan principles which are still present in Yucatán communities today. We are presented with the problems surrounding their language, customs, ceremonies, traditional medicinal practices, products, and land, and how these endanger their cultural identity and ancestral knowledge.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Country/Region, Culture/Festivals/Food, History, Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Social Life and Customs, SubjectMomias, Las
This film documents “The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato” exhibition which appeared at the Natural Science Center of Greensboro, NC in 2012. The history of the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, through the lens of its “accidental mummies”, is explained by historians, architects, anthropologists, and forensics teams. The mummies and crypts are carefully preserved and contribute to the city’s rich cultural heritage.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Colonial, Culture/Festivals/Food, Mexico, Social Life and CustomsMusic Of The Maya
Produced by Samuel Franco, director of the Casa K'OJM, a private non-profit educational research center in Antigua, Guatemala dedicated to the preservation of Maya culture through music this video shows us live footage of music during daily life and special ceremonies throughout Guatemala, particularly in the Highlands. Narrated by Samuel Franco.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Guatemala, Indigenous Peoples, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsMusic Of Yaracuey Venezuela, The
This documentary deals with the rich cultural and musical heritage of the people of the province of Yaracuey in Venezuela. It shows local people's participation in genres as diverse as folklore music and classical and especially emphasizes the strong tradition of music instruction for children in the Casa Yaracuey. There is good footage of local dances, fiestas and interviews with poetas campesinos (farmer poets). Produced by Cartón de Venezuela.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/Dance, VenezuelaMy Footsteps In Baragua
On the history in Cuba of an extensive West Indian community (consisting of people from Jamaica, Barbados, & many others)
Anthropology/Archaeology, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Social Life and CustomsÓ 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 CustomsOaxaca (y otros mas)
The video collection that takes you on a trip to Oaxaca to see the sites of the immensely beautiful country of Mexico. Contains 5 clips: Oaxaca, Las Monarcas de Mexico, Prohibido no tocar, La eterna seducción de la plata, y Donde el Pasado Revive.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Environment/Geography, History, MexicoOdo 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 IssuesOfrenda, La: The Days Of The Dead
Made by Lourdes Portillo and Susana Muñoz. The very young, the old, and the deceased are all represented in this personal and affectionate filmmaker's relationship to the history, and present-day celebrations of the Day of the Dead.
Art, Culture/Festivals/Food, Latinos/Chicanos, Religion, USAPrision Insomne, La
This documentary gives the viewer the unfortunate important facets of life and the controversial work of the poet Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés, Plácido, during the first half of the turbulent and contradictory colonial nineteenth century in Cuba. The audiovisual speech reveals different nuances and mysteries about the identity of the bard and the essential features and significance of the poetry staff. The film also delves into their participation in the so-called Escalera Conspiracy against the Spanish government in power at the time.
Art, Country/Region, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Docudrama, History, Literature, Politics/Human Rights, Social Life and Customs, SubjectPueblos Indigenas Hoy, Los / Five discs set.
Los Pueblos Indigenas Hoy is a ten part series that is an educational resource about the indigenous peoples of Mexico. Sponsored by the Mexican government, the series aired on Mexican national television in 2010 in honor of the Bicentennial celebration of Mexican independence. It features studio interviews with indigenous people, including rights advocates and leaders. Each program is 55 minutes and is presented in Spanish and using Spanish subtitles to translate interviews, with two programs on each DVD.
DISC 1
Episode 1: "Contribucion indigena en independencia y revolucion" translates to contribution of indigenous peoples to independence and revolution. The episode places emphasis on the current state of indigenous people in Mexico and what can be done to improve. Episode 2: "La lengua como construccion" translates to language as a means of construction. The episode deals with the significance of the native languages of the indigenous peoples and the importance of preserving them.
DISC 2
Episode 3: "Expresiones artisticas y artesanales" translates to artistic expressions. The episode focuses on objects crafted by the indigenous peoples of Mexico and their cultural significance as well as how the modern markets have changed how art is sold. Episode 4: "Pervivencia de una justicia propia" translates to preservation of self justice. The episode deals with the injustice faced by the indigenous peoples of Mexico due to corruption and their desire to govern themselves.
DISC 3
Episode 5: "Los Recursos Naturales y la Vida Indigena" translates to natural resources and indigenous life.The episode talks about the biodiversity in indigenous lands and and what can be done to preserve and honor it. Episode 6: "Musica y Literatura" translates to music and literature. The episode deals with the significance music and literature to the culture of indigenous peoples as well as its current state and what can be done to preserve it.
DISC 4
Episode 7: "Espirtualidad indigena y vida religiosa" translates to indigenous spirituality and religious life. The episode discusses various rituals and customs regarding religion and the effect Catholicism and tourism has had on them. Episode 8: "Salud y Medicina indigena" translates to indigenous health and medicine. The episode deals with the need for traditional medicine in indigenous communities and the clash between traditional and modern medicine.
Race 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 CustomsRites Of The Day Of The Dead
Every November the Mexican people clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones, set beautiful tables or altars in which they place offerings so the visiting dead enjoy them. Experience these and other ancestral rituals of the Day of the Dead.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Art, Culture/Festivals/Food, History, MexicoSoy Andina
The dazzling story of two women raised in different worlds — an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern dancer from Queens, NY — who return to Peru to reconnect with their cultural heritage through an astonishing world of traditional dance and celebration. Soy Andina is an exuberant cross-cultural road trip, bursting with traditional music and dance rarely seen outside the country. But the core story is intimate and universal: a yearning for roots and connection in turbulent times. An inspirational story, Soy Andina examines the issue of identity in a globalized era.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Migration/Immigration, Music/Dance, PeruTengo Vamos A Ver
Tengo Vamos a Ver is a short documentary and tribute to 50 years of UNEAC, with testimonies by several contributors and through poems by Nicolas Guillen. The director provides a brief tour of the development of UNEAC on the island of Cuba, and its achievements and contribution to Cuban culture policy.
Country/Region, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Politics/Human Rights, SubjectThe Accordion Kings
This documentary examines a Colombian musical tradition that has emerged to become an internationally popular music genre. Its rural sentiment, straightforward message, and danceable rhythms now appeal to millions of fans around the world. In Colombia’s northern Magdalena Valley, vallenato or "valley music" is the rage and the accordion is king. The region is a place where small children learn to play the accordion at their father’s knee while hundreds of professional practitioners, sometimes several generations of accordeoneros in the same family, perform dazzling feats of musical prowess at social events and duel for bragging rights at annual festivals. The film features an exclusive interview with pop star Carlos Vives and behind-the-scenes footage of the legendary annual Vallenato Festival.
Colombia, Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/DanceThe Art of Mexico
Mexico is a land where varied cultural heritages have inspired an art that has a unique and compelling history of it's own. This boxed set is an indispensable guide to the understanding of Mexican art the past and present - from it's beginnings in the masterworks of the Aztecs and Mayans to the autobiographical surrealism of Frida Kahlo.
Art, Culture/Festivals/Food, MexicoThe Spirit Of Samba
The music and dance of samba has gained international predominance in a little more than a century. The spirit of samba can be traced to the state of Bahia on the eastern coast of Brazil. The word itself means "party" and found life when ex-slaves of Bahia moved to the cities, bringing their style of music and dance. This one-hour documentary takes a comprehensive and thorough look at samba, from its origins to its international acclaim and its influence on other styles of music. This video is a celebrated tour of Brazil -- its people, its culture, and the schools of samba in preparation for Carnivale. This documentary includes some wonderful colorful and vibrant footage of the samba and Carnivale, as well as interviews with some of Brazil's shining samba stars.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/Dance, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsThose I Left Behind
Those I Left Behind is a documentary that explores the transnational ties that bind Cuban-Americans in the United States to their families still living on the Island. The film also speaks to the controversial travel restrictions enacted by the U.S Government and the emotional impact on the lives of four Cuban families.
Country/Region, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Migration/Immigration, Social Issues, Subject, USAWe Don’t Play Golf Here
Mexico serves as a Third World example of how “free market” economics distorts culture and environment. The construction of a golf course is more than the military trying to replace the democratic sport, soccer, with golf. It is how the golf course is going to affect the people in the surrounding area. Fertilizers and pesticides will pollute the nearby waters, Constructing the golf course would require the government to cut down trees, creating an environmental issue. People who believe in taking care of the natural forests around them were being punished by the military for not agreeing with their course of action. Without an individual voice the people of Mexico came together and had strikes against the golf company, the metal company dumping materials, in order to move toward a more democratic country. Despite globalizing efforts of the government, the people of Tepozitlan will always fight for what they believe in.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Economics/Development, Environment/Geography, Mexico, Politics/Human Rights, Social IssuesYAKWA: 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