Edimburgo

Our Brasilian Movies

I am the first to admit that I would not have chosen to watch a subtitled movie out of choice. I honestly found trying to follow the subtitles as well as the action on screen a bit too much. Thank god then that I met my wife as she completely opened my eyes to some truly great cinema from Brasil. Here we talk about the Brasilian movies we have in our collection which were either made in Brasil, were set there or just had a Brasilian connection.


Central Station		Woman on top		Behind the sun		City of God

Central Station (Central Do Brasil) (1998) Director: Walter Salles Brasil Portuguese

The first Brasilian movie I watched was Central Station (Central Do Brasil). This movie was cheated out of an Oscar for best International film at the Oscars by Italy's "Life is Beautiful". Starring great Brasilian actress Fernanda Montenegro the film was a huge international hit when it was released in 1998. In the story Montenegro plays a schoolteacher (Dora) who spends her spare time making money writing letters for illiterate people in Rio de Janeiro's Central Station. She never intends to post any of the letters she writes because she is initially trying to make some easy money. All of this changes when she meets Josué & his mother. When Josué's mother is killed by a bus & he has no one left she takes him under her wing & on a journey to reunite him with his father in a far away city. Along the way they have many adventures, encountering many different characters. The result is a delightful road movie that carries its story along until the end when I guarantee you will not have a dry eye. The film introduced young actor Vinícius De Oliveira in the role of Josué. He was discovered shining people's shoes for a living by the films director Walter Salles. Since this movie he appeared in Brasilian soap opera Suave Veneno & Behind The Sun, a film which was also directed by Walter Salles.

Women On Top (2001) Director: Fina Torres USA English

This was the second film I saw which had a Brasilian connection & it was also the first I watched with my wife after she relocated from Brasil to Scotland. The film is based on a story by Sao Paulo born author Vera Blasi. It stars Spanish actress Penelope Cruz as Isabella Oliveira a Brasilian cook who suffers from motion sickness. Her husband Toninho played by Murilo Benício cheats on her with another woman so she decides to relocate to San Fransisco with the help of Afro Brasilian goddess Iemenja & make her name there as a chef. Iemenja weaves her magic & her cooking becomes irresistible to all who smell it. Before long she is a huge success & even has her own TV show which is a ratings success. Toninho realises what a fool he has been & determines to win her back, but first of all Iemenja's spell has to be broken. Benício also stars in Man of the Year (O Homem Do Ano). Director Fina Torres was born in Venezuela.

Behind the Sun (Abril Despedaçado) (2001) Director: Walter Salles Brasil/Switzerland/France Portuguese

Behind the Sun (Abril Despedaçado) tells the story of two families locked in a bitter land feud in the Brazilian Badlands of the early 20th Century. The oldest son in each family must kill the oldest son in the other family. When the blood on the shirt turns yellow the remaining eldest son must kill the oldest son from the other family & so on. The film stars Rodrigo Santoro (who I most recently saw in the Brazilian prison drama Carandiru with his co-stars in this movie Wagner Moura & Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) as Tonio who begins to question the logic of this situation when he begins to fall in love with travelling Circus girl Clara played by Flavia Marco Antonio. It becomes clear however that his happiness with her could be quite short lived, until his younger brother Pacu decides to intervene with tragic consequences.

City of God (Cidade De Deus) (2002) Directors: Kátia Lund & Fernando Meirelles Brasil/France/USA Portuguese

This film was a HUGE hit in the UK & film reviewers were describing this movie as being almost like a Brasilian "Goodfellas". The film is based on the book by Paulo Lins which is based on events which actually happened in the favela of Rio De Janeiro which is called Cidade De Deus.

The film takes place over a period of time from the late 1960's through until the start of the 1980's & tells the story of Rocket who dreams of being a photographer & his opposite Lil' Zé who dreams of being Gangster Number 1. Given that the film takes place during the dark period of history that was the military dictatorship, it is surprising this is not mentioned in the movie, but in a way this is a good thing because this allows you to concentrate more on the day to day struggle the characters have to survive. The film pulls no punches & achieves more realism as many of the actors in the movie were actually non professional actors who were recruited from the favelas to add extra realism, Leandro Firmino Da Hora who plays Lil' Zé actually lives in Cidade De Deus himself. He particularly gives a great performance as he descends from the wannabe gangster kid into the adult psychopath. This film is not for the fainthearted & one scene in particular when Lil' Zé's gang catch up with & dish out their own street justice to a group of street kids will have you wincing in pain.


4 days in September		The Man of the year		Pixote		Who killed Pixote?

Four Days In September (O Que É Isso, Companheiro?) (1997) Director: Bruno Barreto USA/Brasil Portuguese/English

Four Days in September is another movie based on a true story. In 1964 the Brasilian Military overthrew the democratically elected government of Brasil & so began a period covering twenty years or more of military repression. A group of friends join an urban guerrilla group fighting against the military regime called MR8. To begin with they rob banks & so on, but their plan is too really make the outside world know exactly what is happening in Brasil. To achieve this they plot to kidnap the US ambassador to Brasil Charles Burke Elbrick (played by Alan Arkin). However one of their number is wounded during a botched robbery & under duress becomes an informant for the military regime which will be the groups undoing in the end. An interesting film dealing with a dark aspect of Brasil's recent past.

Man Of The Year (O Homem Do Ano) (2003) Director: José Henrique Fonseca Brasil Portuguese

This film didn't get the credit in the UK I thought it deserved. Many people who went to see this movie compared it to City Of God. That's quite understandable as they both deal with crime amongst the under classes of Brasil, but it is a little unfair as the stories are somewhat different.

Murilo Benício plays Maiquel. Maiquel is a nobody who one day decides he is going to dye his hair. An accident at the hairdresser's leaves him with a peroxide hairdo & after local gangster Suel (played by Wagner Moura) makes fun of his hairdo he takes grave offence with the outcome being he guns down Suel.

Soon Maiquel becomes a bit of a local celebrity because it turns out that nobody really liked Suel. He is soon showered with gifts including a pig he calls Bill (after Bill Clinton) & he inherits Suel's girlfriend Érica who now has nowhere to stay since Maiquel has killed her man. Maiquel has problems with his teeth & the local dentist offers to give him free treatment if he gets rid of the hoodlum that raped his daughter. From this point on Maiquel's life descends into violence as he becomes the tool of the rich & influential members of society who use him as a gunman to get rid of their 'problems'. As the situation gets worse & his friends begin to die or are arrested by the police Maiquel must try to break the cycle of violence. This is an often very amusing film & is not as violent as City of God (most of the violence takes place off screen) but it is one I would definitely recommend.

Pixote (A Lei Do Mais Fraco) (1981) Director: Hector Babenco Brasil Portuguese

Prior to him directing The Kiss of the Spiderwoman Hector Babenco (born in Argentina, but naturalised as a Brasilian citizen) made this gritty movie about street kids in Sao Paulo. Sadly however although the film was acclaimed around the world it became better known for the fate of the young actor who played Pixote, Fernando Ramos Da Silva. Da Silva was a street kid on the mean streets of Sao Paulo when he was spotted by Babenco who thought he would be perfect in the part of Pixote. You can read more about his tragic story below. Pixote is very uncomfortable viewing. It has implications of child & drug abuse (when Pixote & his friends are in the children's home). One of his friends is openly gay & a transvestite (something Babenco seems to use a lot in his movies - Kiss of the Spiderwoman; Carandiru). They decide that they will escape & hit on the idea that they will survive by selling drugs in Rio De Janeiro. When that falls through they buy a prostitute & mug her clients to steal their money as they are about to have sex with her. Brazilian cinema until this point had not been terribly good & apart from this movie it wouldn't really attract an international audience again until Central Station 16 years later.

Who Killed Pixote? (Quem Matou Pixote?) (1996) Director: José Joffily Brasil Portuguese

This film by José Joffily tells the tragic story of Fernando Ramos Da Silva, the street kid who was plucked from obscurity to play Pixote in the film by Hector Babenco. After making the movie the film roles dried up after it was discovered he was illiterate & couldn't read the scripts he was given & Da Silva drifted into petty crime. The circumstances behind his death in 1987 are shrouded in mystery, however it is widely believed that the police in Sao Paulo murdered him in cold blood. This film highlights quite well the differences between the rich & the poor people in Brasil & how hard it is to get any sort of break if you have nothing or no connections. Cassiano Carneiro is particularly impressive in the role of Da Silva.


The Fifth Monkey		The Trespasser		Carandiru		Brave New World

The Fifth Monkey (O Quinto Macaco) (1990) Director: Éric Rochat USA/Brasil English

This film never got the recognition it deserved. It tells the story of a Brazilian peasant Cunda who makes a living hunting for snakes. One day in the jungle he stumbles upon 4 Chimpanzees, although what they are doing in the Brazilian rainforest is never explained. Cunda decides he is going to take the Chimpanzees to the big city so he can sell them & raise enough money to marry his girlfriend & along the way he teams up young peasant girl Octavia & encounters everything from mercenaries to evil scientists wanting to experiment on the Chimpanzees. At the end of his journey he comes to the realisation that what he thought he wanted in life is not what he wants at all. A very beautiful film with very little dialogue & fine performances from Ben Kingsley (Gandhi/Schindler's List) as Cunda, Mika Lins as Octavia, Vera Fischer as Mrs Watts & Milton Gonçalves as the judge amongst others.

The Trespasser (O Invasor) (2002) Director: Beto Brant Brasil Portuguese

Two relatively wealthy businessmen pay a hitman to murder their partner, but then the hitman wants to take more interest in the company & embarks on an affair with the daughter of the man he murdered. Soon the relationship between the businessmen starts to crumble as the hitman, played with great style by Paulo Miklos (the lead singer from Brasilian Rock band Titas) begins to impose more of his ghetto influence over their company with a very disturbing outcome.

Carandiru (2003) Director: Hector Babenco Brasil Portuguese

Carandiru is the latest masterpiece from Hector Babenco. It is based on the terrible true events which happened in the notoriously overcrowded Sao Paulo Prison in 1992. The story is told through the eyes of a doctor who is trying to start an AIDS program inside the prison. It has the most shocking ending I have ever witnessed in any movie. Before the bloody climax is reached we get to learn some of the stories of the various inmates inside the prison & discover that not everybody there is your classic stereotypical villain. In real life the prison riot ended in a typically bloody fashion when police stormed the prison & killed 111 of the inmates, many of them unarmed. The Hated Carandiru prison was later demolished. Debate still rages as to the blame of the police who stormed the prison. Fine performances from Rodrigo Santoro as gay transvestite Lady Di (he wants a marriage like Princess Diana's to Prince Charles), Milton Gonçalves & Wagner Moura whose dependence on drugs will ultimately end in tragedy to name but a few.

Brave New World (Brava Gente Brasileira) (2002) Director: Lúcia Murat Brasil/Portugal Portuguese

Set in 1778 this movie tells the tale of a young Portuguese mapmaker Diogo Infante who is on an expedition to map the boundaries of Brasil down to the Paraguay River. Along the way his party crosses path with the Guaicuru Indians & falls in love with a beautiful Indian girl, but these were difficult times in Brasil & ones of great cruelty, so he must fight for his new life to remain the same.

I found this film a fascinating insight into Pre-Independence Brasil when she was still a jewel in the crown of the Portuguese Empire. Even more fascinating about this film is that the Indians are played by the Kadiweu tribe, who themselves are the descendants of the Guaicuru. Of this once mighty tribe there are only something in the region of 1000 left alive today, a legacy of the strange & alien diseases that the white man brought to Brasil & other parts of the Americas too it must be added. One annoyance of this film is that there is no translation into English of the language the Indians are speaking, so as far as I am concerned they could have been saying anything. I think it should have only been right that they translated everything into English for the subtitles, not just the Portuguese.


Bus 174		Durval Discos		A Taça do Mundo É Nossa		The middle of the world

Bus 174 (2003) Director: José Padilha Brasil English

OK, so this isn't a movie in the strict sense of the word, rather Padilha's documentary tells the true story of a bus hijacking which took place in Rio de Janeiro in the early years of this new century. Rather than go for a rather straightforward approach, ie, the guy did it, Padilha tries to go that & find out what drove Alessandro di Nascimento to do what he did (he survived the Candelaria massacre in 1993), which eventually ended in his own death as well as one of the hostages he had held captive. What you get is a gritty & disturbing portrayal of inequality that sadly is still rife in some areas of Brasilian society, though happily it is on its way out now it seems. One particularly disturbing part is an interview with a self confessed murderer, who talks very matter of factly about the crimes he has committed. Compulsive viewing. Read more about it at the official website.

Durval Discos (2002) Director: Anna Muylaert Brasil Portuguese

Totally weird black comedy about the aforementioned Durval who owns a record store in Sao Paulo. He lives in the back of the shop with his overbearing mother. One day he decides to hire a maid to help out with household chores as his mother is getting on a bit & along comes Celia. After a few days she disappears, but leaves behind a little 5 year old girl called Kiki. It soon becomes clear that Celia & some accomplices have actually kidnapped the girl from a rich family & are on the run. Durval's mother has grown attached to the little girl however & will stop at nothing, not even murder, to make sure the authorities never find out the truth about her whereabouts. This film is OK, but a bit "all over the place" at times. It does have a totally manic cameo appearance by Rita Lee in it though. Well worth a look if you want to try something different.

A Taça do Mundo É Nossa (2003) Director: Lula Buarque De Holanda Brasil Portuguese

The director is better known in Brasil for making music videos for the like of Gilberto Gil & Marisa Monte. This production for Cassetta & Planeta appears to be his first foray into feature films. It's almost like one of the British Carry On films in its sheer wackiness & takes a dark period of Brasilian History, the recent Military Dictatorship & pokes fun at it mercilessly. Roberto Carlos is also a huge target for the Cassetta & Planeta teams irreverent humour. It's set in 1970 after Brasil had won the World Cup for the third time in Mexico & tells the story of a small revolutionary group that decide they are going to steal the World Cup to highlight their plight in the country. Going on the run with the World Cup they encounter a whole range of bizarre characters including Ché Guevara who it seems didn't die in Bolivia after all but has been in hiding operating his successful T Shirt business. There is even a cameo appearance from Brasilian football great Jairzinho! Here is a site about it from Globo, but it is in Portuguese. A Taça do Mundo É Nossa.

The Middle of the world (O caminho dos nuvens) (2003) Director: Vicente Amorim Brasil Portuguese

This movie is based on a true story about a poor family from the north of Brasil (Paraiba) who decide they are going to journey to Rio De Janeiro to make their fortune. The father of the family, Wagner Moura, proudly declares that he will work for nothing less than $R1000 per month. A salary which is earned by very few Brasilians. Part road movie, part coming of age as seen through the eyes of the adolescent son, this film can't fail to enchant you, but be warned, it must have been sponsored by Roberto Carlos as his music is EVERYWHERE (LOL)! Claudia Abreu is fine as the mother & Ravi Ramos Lacerda (Behind the sun/City of God etc) portrays the troubled teen with some style. This is another we can recommend.


God is Brasilian		Netto loses his soul		A dogs will		Mango yellow


God is Brasilian (Deus É Brasileiro) (2003) Director: Carlos Diegues Brasil Portuguese
In this comedy God decides he needs a holiday & so he sets off to the Northeast of Brasil to find someone to stand in for him & look after the universe while he is gone. Here he encounters the hustler Taoca (Wagner Moura) & together they go in search of the stand in, along the way, God does a turn as a conjurer at roadside fairs (LOL)! Very light-hearted & colourful. Many people compare it to A dogs will (see below) but I think that's unfair. It might have been better getting an actor like Milton Goncalves to play God however as I find it hard to warm to Antonio Fagundes portrayal. I mention Milton Goncalves solely as he has to be one of my favourite Brasilian actors...ever!

Netto loses his soul (Netto perde sua alma) (2001) Directors: Beto Souza/ Tabajara Ruas Brasil Portuguese
This film continues on a little from the famous Brasilian Soap Opera "A Casa da sete mulher's". It tells the story of General Antonio de Souza Netto as he lies injured in a military hospital in Argentina after fighting in the Paraguay War (1861-1866). as he lies delirious from his wounds he senses strange things happening around him. He receives a visitor that very night who is no other than former slave Caldeira. Together the two talk about old times & their experiences during the Farrapos (wretches) War. Netto tells Caldeira that he must avenge one of his friends, but Caldeira has come that night to kill a man too. I haven't seen "A Casa da sete mulher's" yet, but on seeing this I almost regret not buying it the last time we were in Brasil. I love Brasilian history so this film had that in bucket loads for me, but it also had a human story in the background & for all that I love history, it's the human story that makes it interesting. Well worth a look.

A dogs will (O auto da compadecida) (2000) Director: Guel Arraes Brasil Portuguese
Originally a play in 1969 & later made into a mini series & then movie in 2000, "O auto da compadecida" is a little similar to "Deus e Brasileiro". In this one our two protagonists are again from the northeast where they are small town hustlers who cheat a whole bunch of poor people. When they die however they have to go before god for judgement. Is there anyway these two vagabonds can rescue their souls? This movie features another Brasilian actor I've seen many times in movies (Matheus Nachtergaele) as Joao & also Fernanda Montenegro as Compadecida. If you get a chance see it, before someone like me totally ruins the plot for you (LOL).

Mango Yellow (Amarelo Manga) (2002) Director: Claudio Assis Brasil Portuguese
If you are expecting a comedy this is certainly not the movie for you. It has to be one of the most heavy-going Brasilian movies I've ever seen. Definitely an acquired taste it tells the stories of a random group of people who frequent a bar & hotel in Recife. In this movie you hear the tale of the butcher married to the evangelist, a necrophiliac in love with the bad tempered but beautiful bar owner, a transvestite, a gay guy who is in love with the butcher. at times it is a little hard to follow the plot as it jumps around quite a bit, but it is well worth persevering with it & Matheus Nachtergaele is fantastic as the gay character I have just mentioned. It's not a movie for those with a weak stomach however...you have been warned.


Carlota Joaquina: Princess of Brasil	Bicho de sete Cabeças.	Caramuru.	O homem que copiava.

Carlota Joaquina: Princess of Brasil (Carlota Joaquina: Princesa do Brasil) (1995) Director: Carla Camurati Brasil Portuguese

Tells the story of Carlota Joaquina a Spanish Princess who married the King of Portugal who had to flee to Brasil to escape the clutches of Napoleon. Part historical tale as told bizarrely by a Scotsman to his daughter, by the looks of things in the late 19th century, and part bawdy comedy romp. This film was a huge critical & box office success when it was released & is generally regarded as being one of the movies that helped the rebirth of the Brasilian film industry. Despite the films narration being in English it was never released in the English speaking world. I almost died laughing watching this one. I can recommend it, but can someone please explain what the Scottish guy had to do with the story because that one is going to annoy me for a long time.

Brainstorm (Bicho de sete Cabeças) (2001) Director: Laís Bodanzky Brasil Portuguese
Neto is like every other teenager, rebellious & questioning the world. One day his father finds Marijuana in his pocket & sends him to a mental institution. The things he witnesses there opens his eyes to a cruel & corrupt institution system & completely changes his relationship with his father as he is forced to grow up very fast. This hard hitting movie was one of the first movies to feature Rodrigo Santoro (Neto), who had previously made a name for himself in countless seriado's made for the Globo TV network. Of course he went on to star in many other movies including Carandiru & Behind the Sun amongst others. A bit similar in some ways to Hollywood movies such as Girl Interrupted (Winona Ryder) in as much as the subject matter is similar, the movie doesn't pull any punches & can be quite disturbing. Definitely thought provoking.

Caramuru (2001) Director: Guel Arraes Brasil Portuguese
After making "A Dogs Will" Arraes turned his hand to this project. It's a comic fable recounting the discovery of Brasil by Europeans & presenting a funny view of how they got along with the Native population. It features some of the best actors /actresses in Brasil. Extremely silly but great fun, even if it does play with the historical facts a great deal.

The man who copied (O homem que copiava) (2003) Director: Jorge Furtado Brasil Portuguese
This is the story of André who works in a photocopy shop & dreams of becoming a famous cartoonist. He is in love with the girl (Silvia) who lives in the apartment block opposite his. Silvia studies in night school & works during the day in a women's clothes shop. André is desperate to ask her out & goes to her workplace, however embarrassment overtakes him & he decides to cover the fact that he likes her by buying a Chenille dressing gown which costs $R38 for his mother. This is where André's problems begin as he does not have $R38 & the movie tells of his efforts to raise the money so he can win the girl. A smart, clever comedy thriller which features Lazaro Ramos (Madam Sata amongst his other movies) in the role of André. There is also a bizarre English version of this movie which is apparently showing in New York amongst other places, but i've got the original Brasilian version.


Anahy		Bossa Nova		Ed Mort		Favela Rising

Anahy of the Missions (Anahy de las misiones) (1997) Director: Sérgio Silva
Brasil/Argentina Portuguese/Spanish
Set during the Cisplatina War which took place from 1825-1828. This is the legend told by the gaucho's of Southern Brasil, Uruguay & Argentina of Anahy of the missions, who wandered the River Plate basin gathering the dead. The director was born in Rio Grande do sul & is therefore quite familiar with the story.

Bossa Nova (2000) Director: Bruno Barreto Brasil/USA Portuguese/English/French/Spanish
A romantic comedy from the director of Four days in September! This one tells the story of Rio lawyer Pedro who has recently been separated from his wife, and his romance with Mary Ann, who is an English teacher. Meanwhile Acacio, a footballer who has been given the chance of a contract with an English football team has also been learning English with Mary Ann. One day he discovers Sharon who is an intern in Pedro's law firm & to tell you more would spoil it. A charming romantic comedy, and as previously mentioned a surprise from Barreto, whose gritty Four days in September was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign film category in 1997!

Ed Mort (1997) Director: Alain Fresnot Brasil Portuguese
A comedy based on the character created by Luis Fernando Verissimo. This movie stars famous Sorocabano Paulo Betti in the lead role of the bumbling private detective. In this story he is hired by the mysterious & glamorous Cibele to track down her missing industrialist husband, who just happens to be a master of disguises. A good amount of laughs. The creator of the character is the son of Erico Verissimo, who was one of the most important gaucho writers to come out of southern Brasil in the 20th Century.

Favela Rising (2005) Directors: Matt Mochary & Jeff Zimbalist Brasil/USA Portuguese
OK, so this is not actually a movie as such, rather it is a documentary. This tells the story of Anderson Sa who formed the Afroreggae movement in one of Rio's most violent Favela's, Vigario Geral. Sa himself was no stranger to the violence. In the early 1990's an infamous police massacre took place in the favela. One of the victims was Sa's brother. It was a crime that shocked Brasil as the police opened fire indiscriminately, killing old people & kids in the carnage. Most of the people killed were innocent. Instead of turning his thoughts to revenge Sa decided to channel his energies into creating AfroReggae, a movement to peacefully counteract police oppression & the violent drug gangs that run the Favela's. Starting initially with a newsletter, then a musical movement, the movement grew & has now spread its wings to other Favela's in Rio where they are involved in many diverse projects to help the young & old alike. In this documentary no holds are barred as we learn the true story of how the movement began & how it may have ended in tragedy.


Lamarca		Madame Sata		Meu Tio matou um cara		Nina

Lamarca (1994) Director: Sergio Rezende Brasil Portuguese


This is the true story of Captain Carlos Lamarca. Lamarca was part of the Military Dictatorship that ruled in Brasil from 1964 until the 1980's. When he was stationed at the Suez Canal in Egypt as part of a peacekeeping force, he saw the poverty of the people there, and in one of those "Motorcycle Diary" type moments he becomes almost like a Brasilian Che Guevara. Widely regarded as the best marksmen in the Brazilian army, he later deserted to fight against the injustices of the military regime. In 1969 he joined the VPR (Vanguarda Popular Revolucionaria) who carried out various activities to bring down the Dictatorship, including kidnapping the Swiss Ambassador to Brasil in 1970. Forever hunted by the military, Lamarca manages to get his wife & kids out of Brasil (they go to Cuba), and he & his comrades head for the Sertao in Brasil's North East where they are finally tracked down & tortured, executed, or both one by one by the brutal police force. Lamarca was killed on 19 September 1971 in the Sertao. His close friend Iara died under mysterious circumstances in a flat in Bahia a few days before, but it is widely held that she was tortured & murdered by the Military, though according to the movie she shot herself. This is an interesting movie, very much in the vein of the later "O Que É Isso, Companheiro" which covered similar subject matter, though the scenes of torture in Lamarca are far more graphic & indeed brutal. Several sections of the movie are told in flashback using the letters that Lamarca is writing to his wife whilst on the run to link into those scenes. Paulo Betti is good in the main role as the celebrated Captain who tried to take a stand for what he thought was right (even if some of his methods were not so right), but ended up fighting a futile battle.

Madame Sata (2002) Director: Karim Ainouz Brasil/France Portuguese
A movie based on the life story of Brasilian transvestite & performer Joăo Francisco dos Santos who spent 27 of his 76 years in prison. Portrayed on the big screen by versatile Brasilian actor Lazarao (Cidade Baixa; Sankes & Ladders to name but a few things he has been in). Dos Santos was born a slave in the arid North East. Sold by his mother for a mule he ends up in the mean red light area of Rio de Janeiro called Lapa. There he is forced to survive by any means possible. The film begins in 1932 where the sometime bandit, street fighter, brothel cook is trying to make a living on the mean streets of Lapa. He lives with a diverse bunch of people. There is Laurita, the prostitute who has a little girl, his gay hustler friend Taboo, Dos Santos' teenage lover Renatinho & Amador who owns the shady Blue Danube Club. It is at this club that Dos Santos first begins to sing & his mythical creation Madame Sata is born.

My Uncle killed a man (Meu tio matou um cara) (2004) Director: Jorge Furtado Brasil Portuguese
A case in point regarding the versatility of actor Lazaro Ramos. In this movie he plays Éder, who is convicted of a murder with little or no evidence. His nephew Duca (Darlan Cunha - City of Men) decides he is going to investigate himself & clear his uncles name. He enlists the help of his friends Kid & Isa to do this. It soon becomes clear however, given that this is a romantic crime comedy, that Isa is simply more interested in Kid, whilst Duca is more interested in Isa & Kid just is interested in any girl that comes along! Will they solve the mystery, will they end up with the correct person? Time alone will only tell. Furtado also directed O homem que copiava the previous year. This movie also starred Lazaro Ramos incidentally.

Nina (2004) Director: Heitor Dhalia Brasil Portuguese
Psychological thriller which uses a mixture of live action & manga style animation to tell the story of the eponymous anti heroine Nina, a young comice artist who is abused by her wicked landlady. Trying to escape the pain in the real world she begins to slip deeper & deeper into her own fantasy world of violence until the boundaries of fantasy & reality become blurred & she does not know what is real anymore. Guta Stresser, who plays Nina, is best known for "A Partilha", in which she played the character Laura's lesbian lover, and the TV Novela "A Grande Familia" in which she played Bebel.


	Quasenada		O casamento do Romeu e Julieta		Xango do Bakers Street

Almost Nothing (Quase nada) (2000) Director: Sergio Rezende Brasil/Mexico Portuguese
Another movie from Sergio Rezende whose previous movies include the excellent Lamarca & Guerra de Canudos (I've seen the latter in Brasil but don't have the DVD unfortunately). This one is a crime drama with the countryside of Brasil used as a backdrop. It tells 3 separate stories. The 1st is about 2 old friends, while the 2nd is about a cowboy & the 3rd is about the volatile relationship between a florist & his beautiful wife which becomes poisoned because of his jealousy. Sergio Rezende also wrote the story as well as directing it.

O Casamento do Romeu e Julieta (The wedding of Romeo & Juliet) (2005) Director: Bruno Barreto Brasil Portuguese
Another romantic comedy from Bruno Barreto. This one is very clearly based on the Shakespeare tale Romeo & Juliet, but has a neat Brasilian twist. Romeu is a Corinthians supporter who one days sees & falls in love with the beautiful Julieta. There is a snag however in the fact that Julieta's family are all Palmeiras fans! Romeu decides he must fake being a Palmeiras fan too in order to win her love. Julieta's dad Alfredo, is the head of the board of directors of Palmeiras, while Romeu is the head of the Corinthians fan faction. Will Romeu be able to keep his secret? Barreto, also did Gabriela, Dona Flor & her 2 husbands, 4 days in September & Bossa Nova.

The Xango from Bakers Street (O Xango do Bakers Street) (2001) Director: Miguel Faria Junior Brasil/Portugal Portuguese/English/French
A Brasilian Sherlock Holmes movie! This one is based on the novel by Jo Soares. The year is 1888 & the location is Rio de Janeiro, the then Capital of Brasil. The famous singer Sarah Bernhardt is performing at the City's famous Municipal Theatre, and even the Emperor of Brasil comes to pay his respects. The emperor tells Bernhardt about the theft of a precious violin & she tells him that she will contact her friends Holmes & Watson & get them to investigate the case. Before long the pair are up to their eyes in tacky tourist culture as they try to solve the mystery.