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Cinema Of Brazil · 2009

Cinema Of Brazil 2009

Full line-up

Programme

14 films · 7 reviews

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Basic Sanitation (Saneamento Básico, O Filme)

A comic look at social activism.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2007; Director: Jorge Furtado; Writer: Jorge Furtado; Stars: Fernanda Torres, Wagner Moura, Camila Pitanga, Bruno Garcia, Janaína Kremer Motta, Lázaro Ramos, Tonico Pereira, Paulo José, Marcelo Aquino, Irene Brietzke, Zéu Britto, Felipe De Paula, Sérgio Lulkin, Giovanni Martini, Lúcio Mauro Filho)

The Conception (A Concepção)

Bored kids embrace excess in Brasilia.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2005; Director: José Eduardo Belmonte; Stars: Juliano Cazarré, Milhem Cortaz, Murilo Grossi, Gabrielle Lopes, Rosane Mulholland, Matheus Nachtergaele)

December (Feliz Natal)

A man heads back to his estranged family over Christmas.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: Selton Mello; Writer: Selton Mello, Marcelo Vindicato; Stars: Leonardo Medeiros, Darlene Glória, Paulo Guarnieri, Graziela Moretto, Lúcio Mauro, Fabricio Reis, Thelmo Fernandes, Cláudio Mendes, Daniel Torres, Rose Abdallah, Lucas Guarnieri, Liz Maggini Seraphin, Hossein Minussi, Emiliano Queiroz, Nathalia Dill)

Estamira

A portrait of Estamira who has lived and worked for the last 20 years on Jardim Gramacha, Latin America’s largest landfill site in Rio de Janeiro.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2004; Director: Marcos Prado; Writer: Marcos Prado; Stars: Estamira)

If Nothing Else Works Out (Se Nada Mais Der Certo)

Review preview for If Nothing Else Works Out

The more I think back on it, the more I love this film.

Chris · 3.5 out of 5
The lives of a group of friends living life on the edge in frenetic São Paulo.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: José Eduardo Belmonte; Writer: José Eduardo Belmonte, Luis Carlos Pacca; Stars: Cauã Reymond, Caroline Abras, João Miguel, Luíza Mariani, Milhem Cortaz .) , Official site

Full review

Jardim Ângela

Review preview for Jardim Ângela

If the film is at times less than enthralling, the overall questions it raises are crucial and rarely tackled.

Chris · 4 out of 5
Documentary tracking São Paulo youngsters as they film a documentary about their community.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: Evaldo Mocarzel; Writer: Evaldo Mocarzel, Marcelo Moraes)

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Last Stop 174 (Última Parada 174)

Review preview for Last Stop 174

From the opening scenes (which have genuine shock value), the drive towards a finale is uneven at best.

Chris · 3 out of 5
Story of a homeless man who hijacked a bus in Rio.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: Bruno Barreto; Writer: Bráulio Mantovani; Stars: Michel Gomes, Chris Vianna, Marcello Melo Junior, Gabriela Luiz, Anna Cotrim, Tay Lopez, Vitor Carvalho, Jana Guinoud, Rodrigo dos Santos, Ramom Francisco, Lucas Rodrigues, Yasmine Luyindula, Hyago Silva, Douglas Silva, Gleyson Lima)

Full review

Lower City

Review preview for Lower City

It is the sensitivity of Machado's film that sets it apart.

Richard Mellor · 4 out of 5
Two friends find their loyalties tested when they both fall in love with the same prostitute.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2005; Director: Sergio Machado; Writer: Sergio Machado, Karim Ainouz; Stars: Lazaro Ramos, Wagner Moura, Alice Braga )

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Master - A Copacobana Building (Edifício Master)

Review preview for Master - A Copacobana Building

If finding the exceptional in the ordinary is the mark of a good documentary maker, Eduardo Coutinho is positively tattooed.

Chris · 4 out of 5
A week in the life of the residents of a Copacabana apartment block.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2002; Director: Eduardo Coutinho; Writer: Eduardo Coutinho; Stars: Fernando José)

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My Name Ain't Johnny (Meu Nome Não É Johnny)

Biopic of Guilherme Estrella, who became the drug king of Rio.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: Mauro Lima; Writer: Guilherme Fiúza, Mariza Leão, Mauro Lima; Stars: Selton Mello, Giulio Lopes, Júlia Lemmertz, Felipe Severo, Breno Guimarães, Ellan Lustosa, Gillray Coutinho, Cléo Pires, Arthur Lopes, Victor Lisboa Gorgulho, Daniel Torres, Rodrigo Amarante, Tammy Di Calafiori, Ângelo Paes Leme, Flávio Pardal)

Not By Chance (Não Por Acaso)

Review preview for Not By Chance

A deeply meditative, if surprisingly fast-moving film that allows the thoughtful viewer to contemplate the existential choices which life brings and how we handle them.

Chris · 4 out of 5
Fate leads to lives interlocking in São Paulo.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2007; Director: Philippe Barcinski; Writer: Fabiana Werneck Barcinski, Philippe Barcinski, Eugenio Puppo; Stars: Rodrigo Santoro, Leonardo Medeiros, Letícia Sabatella, Branca Messina, Rita Batata, Cássia Kiss, Ney Piacentini, Graziela Moretto, Cacá Amaral, Sílvia Lourenço, Giulio Lopes, Milhem Cortaz, Noemi Marinho, Zeca Auricchio, Renato da Matta)

Full review

Only When I Dance

Review preview for Only When I Dance

As well-constructed documentary, this contains emotion but avoids cheesiness.

Chris · 3.5 out of 5
Young Brazilians train hard in the hope of becoming ballet stars.

(Country: Brazil, UK; Year: 2009; Director: Beadie Finzi; Stars: Irlan Santos da Silva, Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos, Mariza Estrella)

Full review

The Sign of the City (O Signo da Cidade)

An astrology radio show leads to the coalescence of four lives..

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2007; Director: Carlos Alberto Riccelli; Writer: Bruna Lombardi; Stars: Bruna Lombardi, Malvino Salvador, Juca de Oliveira, Graziela Moretto, Luis Miranda, Denise Fraga, Eva Wilma, Fernando Alves Pinto, Sidney Santiago, Kim Riccelli, Laís Marques, Bethito Tavares, Thiago Pinheiro, Rogério Brito, Cristina Mutarelli)

Still Orangutans (Ainda Orangotangos)

One day in the life of a town's inhabitants... shot in a single take.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2007; Director: Gustavo Spolidoro; Writer: Gibran Dipp, Paulo Scott, Gustavo Spolidoro; Stars: Karina Kazue, Artur Pinto, Kayodê Silva, Janaína Kremer, Renata de Lélis, Nilsson Asp, Arlete Cunha, Roberto Oliveira, Marcelo de Paula, Girley Paes, Heinz Limaverde, Rafael Sieg, Juliana Spolidoro, Rafael Grendene, Lindon Satoru Shimizu)