PAULINHO DA VIOLA, MY TIME IS NOW
(Izabel Jaguaribe, Brazil, 2003, 83 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
"The gentle Paulinho Da Viola is one of the most loved and respected Brazilian samba composers, players and singers. He is known for his acoustic style and purity of sound and admired as a revivalist of the instrumental choro style. Belonging to the same generation of the rock-oriented tropicalistas and the post bossa nova crowd, Viola delves into the style of the traditional samba song and the sambas de morro, sung by the urban poor of Brazil's slums. The film abounds in performances, interviews with Viola's teachers and friends and wonderful jam sessions involving musical peers such as Marina Lima, Elton Medeiros, Zeca Pagodinho, Marisa Monte and Velha Guarda da Portela, to name a few." —Toronto International Latin Film Festival
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 7pm
VINICIUS
(Miguel Faria, Jr., Brazil, 2005, 121 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Special guest: Andy Summers
Our ongoing series on Brazilian music would not be complete with out a documentary on Brazilian poet, playwright, critic, diplomat, composer, singer and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980). "Vinicius", directed by Miguel Faria Jr., is a cinematic portrait of the internationally famous lyricist of the Bossa Nova classics "Garota de Ipanema" and "Insensatez" and writer of the play on which the film Black Orpheus (1959) was based. His life story and musical history is told through archival images combined with interviews with members of his family, friends, partners and new musical numbers with famous Brazilian singers.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 7pm
RIO SONATA
(Georges Gachot, Brazil, 2010, 84 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles. US Premiere)
Cinema Tropical Afterparty follows screening with singer/song-writer, percussionist, and Bahia native Nanny Assis
"Singer Nana Caymmi is Brazilian music royalty. She is the daughter of Dorival Caymmi, Gilberto Gil's ex-wife, Milton Nascimento's muse and a childhood friend of Nelson Freire. Rio Sonata explores her body of work and her role in the history of Brazilian music in the last 50 years. It is also a love story to the city of Rio de Janeiro, Nana's hometown, with lush imagery and inspired music . An intimate glimpse into an artist's relationship to her muse and her music. With the participation of Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Maria Bethânia, Joao Donato, Mart'nalia, Erasmo Carlos,Sueli Costa, Miùcha, Dorival Caymmi, Dori Caymmi." - São Paulo International Film Festival.
Wednesday, February 23 at 7pm
DZI CROQUETTES
(Raphael Alvarez and Tatiana Issa, Brazil, 2009, 110 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Q&A with filmmakers
"Dzi Croquettes, an infamous Brazilian dance-theater group at the heart of the 1960s Tropicália cultural movement, used imagination, irony, and humor to confront Brazil's violent dictatorship—and in the process revolutionized the nation's gay rights movement and changed the language of theater and dance for a generation. With Norma Bengell, César Camargo Mariano, Pedro Cardoso, Liza Minnell." —The Museum of Modern Art
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 7pm
