Bróder
Easy Does It
Blue Eyes
The Astral City
So Hard to Forget
Tamboro
5x Favela
Reflections of a
Blender
Caboca
Head over Heels
Trap.com
“Bróder “
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2011
Duration: 92 min
Producer: Glaz Cinema
Macu, Jaiminho, and Pibe are childhood friends from Capão Redondo, a community on the outskirts of São Paulo. The friends reunite years later and discover that Macu still lives in the community and is involved with drug lords and criminals. Jaiminho became a soccer idol in Europe and now awaits his selection to the Brazilian national team. Pibe, who moved to a different neighbourhood, is now a father. The three childhood companions come together and re-establish their bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty despite their vastly different and separate lives.
Awards
Best Film
2010 – Gramado In´t Film Festival
Best Director
2010 – Gramado In´t Film Festival
Best Actor
2010 – Gramado In´t Film Festival
Best Film Crictics Choice
2010 – Paulinia Film Festival
Best Photography
2010 – Paulinia Film Festival
“Easy Does it” (Muita Calma Nessa Hora)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2011
Duration: 92 min
Producer: Augusto Casé
Three young friends, Tita (Andréia Horta), Mari (Gianne Albertoni), and Aninha (Fernanda Souza) decide to change their environment and travel to a beach house for the weekend. On the road they meet Estrella, (Débora Lamm), a hippie trying to find her father that she has never met. Together, the group will experience some hilarious, absurd, and emotional situations. The girls’ weekend becomes more than a change of scenery as they end up transforming themselves.
Awards
Best Screenplay
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize
(nomination)
“Blue Eyes ” (Olhos Azuis)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2009
Duration: 111 min
Producer: Coevos Filmes
Before his compulsory retirement on his last day of work, Marshall, JFK airport’s chief Immigration officer, detains a group of Latin Americans and subjects them to a series of humiliating situations. Blinded by prejudice, Marshall causes the death of a young Brazilian in the group. After some time in prison, Marshall who is now deathly ill, goes to Brazil in a desperate search to purge his guilt. During Marshall’s quest he is guided by Bia, a young prostitute. Written by Isabel Joffily.
Awards
Best Original Music
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand
Best Picture
2010 – Paulínia Film Festival
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Screenplay
2010 – Paulínia Film Festival
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Actress
2010 – Paulínia Film Festival
Best Actor
2010 – Paulínia Film Festival
2010 – Miami Brazilian Film Festival
Best Cinematography
2010 – Miami Brazilian Film Festival
Best Director
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize (nomination)
“Our Home: The Astral City” (Nosso Lar)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2010
Duration: 102 min
Producer: Iafa Britz / Migdal Filmes
Soundtrack: Philip Glass
“Our Home” (Nosso Lar) is one of 412 books psychographed by Chico Xavier, the famous Brazilian spiritist medium. The book, published in 1944 is the
autothanatography of Xavier’s frequent spiritual companion, the medical doctor André Luíz. The book recounts the first years after Andre’s death in the spiritual community they call ‘Our Home’. There, while in between incarnations, spirits learn the value of joint community work. The book also raises questions about what is considered fair and noble work as well as the laws of cause and effect which all spirits are subject to. The film is a major success in Brazil, which hosts the world’s
largest spiritist following. The movie sold 1 million tickets within 5 days of been released in the cinemas, recouping half of the $20 million FOX Films invested in it, Brazil’s most expensive film production to date.
“So Hard To Forget” (Como Esquecer)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2010
Duration: 100 min
Cast: Ana Paula Arósio, Murilo Rosa, Natália Lage, Arieta Correia
Julia is a 35 year old English Literature teacher struggling with depression as she tries to piece her life back together after the breakdown of her love affair with Antonia. Feeling completely abandoned after her break up, Julia is thrown into the painful process of trying to heal. Julia’s existence is now tinged with melancholy
with her life seemingly reduced to the blurred fragments of her memories. Julia’s inner turmoil and conflict hamper the necessary process of adapting to her new life. It becomes impossible for Julia to disguise her pain when she attempts to recount her emotions.
“Tamboro”
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2010
Duration: 90 min
Producer: Rosa Bernardes
This documentary addresses key social and environmental issues facing Brazil such as deforestation of the Amazon, the struggle for land in the countryside, the slums, and crime in urban centres. This documentary forms a panoramic view of civilization in Brazil. From Mount Roraima to Aparados da Serra, the documentary travels across Brazil revealing amazing images of the country.
“5x Favela, Now By Ourselves” (5x Favela, Agora por Nós Mesmos)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2010
Duration: 96 min
Supervision: Cacá Diegues
Cast: João Carlos Artigos, Flavio Bauraqui, Zózimo Bulbul, Vitor Carvalho
The original “5x Favela” was shot in 1961 by five middle class film school students from Rio on what they saw in the favelas that were growing around them. Half a century later one the of the students, Carlos “Cacá” Diegues who became a successful film and TV director, released his production “5x Favela, Now By Ourselves” again presenting five short films about Rio’s favelas. This time however, all the writers, directors, and cast actually grew up in Rio’s favelas and they tell the stories from their insider perspective. Cacá brought together the heavyweights of the Brazilian film industry to train and conduct workshops for over 300 candidates of which 80 were selected to put the short films together. The result did not disappoint: the film received 6 nominations at the 2011 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize, and 6 awards at the 2010 Paulinia Film Festival.
Awards
Best Picture
2010 – Paulinia Film Festival
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Supporting Actress
2010 – Paulinia Film Festival
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Supporting Actor
2010 – Paulinia Film Festiva
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Screenplay
2010 – Paulinia Film Festiva
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Editing
2010 – Paulinia Film Festiva
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
Best Music
2010 – Paulinia Film Festiva
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand (nomination)
“Reflections of a Blender” (Reflexões de um Liquidificador)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2010
Duration: 82 min
Cast: Marcos Cesana, Germano Haiut, Selton Mello, Ana Lúcia Torre
In São Paulo, a middle-aged housewife and taxidermist named Elvira reports to the police that her husband Onofre is missing. The chief of police assigns the nosy and troublesome Detective Fuinha to investigate the disappearance of Onofre. The lonely Elvira begins talking to her blender who recalls the time when Elvira and Onofre had a small establishment where “he” prepared the juices that were served over the counter. When Onofre and Elvira are forced to close the bar, they bring the blender back to their simple kitchen at their home. Elvira would often talk to the blender while Onofre was out looking for a job. Onofre eventually finds employment as a night watchman and one day takes the blender with him telling Elivra that he would buy a new one. When Onofre returns home, he brings the same appliance back and the blender does not talk to Elvira. She pushes “him” and the blender tells her that Onofre is having an affair with a nurse and they have spent the day on the beach.
“Caboca”
All films subtitled in English
Duration: 85 min
Producers: Maiara da Rocha Skarheim, Mark Collins
For the last decade filmmaker Maiara da Rocha Skarheim has embraced Australia as her home however, recently Maiara has had an urge to return to her birthplace of Brazil and explore the notion of what life would have been like, had she never left. Maiara returns to the land of her childhood in an attempt to reconnect with the places and people she left behind all those years ago. But Maira’s journey is not just about going home, it is also about exploring more of her birthplace, participating in new experiences, and engaging with the locals who want a better life in Brazil and use creativity to achieve this. Maiara searches for a sense of identity, reconnecting with Brazil, and rekindling family ties while coming to terms with the inevitability of change – both in herself and her motherland.
“Head Over Heels” (De Pernas Pro Ar)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2011
Duration: 107 min
Cast: Ingrid Guimarães, Maria Paula, Bruno Garcia, Flávia Alessandra
Alice (Ingrid Guimarães) is a successful executive in her mid 30s and is married to João (Bruno Garcia) with one child. She tries to balance her work and family until the day she meets her new neighbour Marcela (Maria Paula). In a comedy of errors Alice loses her husband and her job on the same day however, Alice discovers a new way to succeed when she and Marcela open a small sex shop that will change their lives.
Awards
Best Actress
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize
(nomination)
Best Screenplay
2011 – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize
(nomination)
“Trap.com” (Cilada.com)
All films subtitled in English
Year: 2011
Duration: 95 min
Cast: Bruno Mazzeo, Fernanda Paes Leme, Rafaela Amado, Ana Paula Bouzas
Cilada.com sold 2 million tickets in its first 3 weeks. It’s one of Brazil’s fastest selling movies ever. Exposed by his girlfriend through a video on the Internet, Bruno (Bruno Mazzeo, Easy Does It) tries to revive his reputation, but all he can do is get into a series of ambushes (cilada, in Portuguese). Cilada.com is a comedy about love and betrayal that shows the power of the Internet to transform small intimacies and slips in globalised fame and shame.
