September 29 - October 5
Presented by Cinema Tropical, Brasil Summerfest
and the Center for Latin American and
Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at New York University
Presented annually since 2008, Cinema Tropical’s popular series Music+Film: Brazil has showcased numerous screenings featuring the best of Brazilian music and a who’s who of performers from every corner of the South American country. The 2020 special online edition of the series is no exception.
This year’s exciting lineup celebrates the impact of Brazilian music on foreign audiences with the premieres of two documentary films on music icons João Gilberto, a pioneering figure of bossa nova, and Gilberto Gil, acclaimed both for his musical innovation and social activism.
The virtual film series, available to audiences across the U.S., will also present a special free tenth anniversary screening of the ultimate Brazilian music documentary, Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music, plus live conversations with the directors and special guests.
Programmed by Mary Jane Marcasiano
BEYOND IPANEMA: BRAZILIAN WAVES IN GLOBAL MUSIC
A film by Guto Barra and Béco Dranoff
(Brazil/USA, 2009, 89 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
A vibrant musical and graphic experience, Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music explores the Brazilian music experience outside of Brazil and why Brazilian music has captivated audiences worldwide for generations. Directed by Guto Barra and music producer Béco Dranoff (Red Hot + Rio, Bebel Gilberto), the film asks and answers the question, why does bossa nova still lure DJs and producers fifty years since its debut, and why is the alternative-rock crowd obsessed with tropicália? Beyond Ipanema, which had its world premiere at MoMA and played in over 50 international film festivals, features interviews and performances by David Byrne, Devendra Banhart, M.I.A., Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Zé, Seu Jorge, Thievery Corporation, Bebel Gilberto, CSS, Creed Taylor, and many others. The film’s specially curated soundtrack features Brazilian classics reinterpreted by a new generation of artists—a Dranoff signature producing style. Streaming free for one day in celebration of its tenth anniversary, Beyond Ipanema represents a unique opportunity for U.S. audiences to be swept away by the Brazilian wave.
Streaming on Monday, October 5
Q&A with directors Guto Barra and Béco Dranoff on Monday, October 5, 7pm EDT on Cinema Tropical’s Facebook page.
WHERE ARE YOU, JOÃO GILBERTO?
A film by Georges Gachot
(Wo bist Du, João Gilberto?, Switzerland/France/Germany 2018, 106 minutes. In German, Portuguese, English and French with English subtitles)
New York Premiere!
Swiss-born director Georges Gachot has made some of the most beautiful films on Brazilian music, including Rio Sonata on Nana Caymmi, Music Is Perfume on Maria Bethania, and O Samba on Martinho da Vila. In his latest film, Where Are You, João Gilberto?, acclaimed at over thirty international film festivals including Locarno and Vision du Reel, Gachot follows the footsteps of German writer Marc Fischer's obsessive search for the founding father of bossa nova, Brazilian musician João Gilberto. Fischer detailed his journey in a book, Hobalala, but committed suicide one week before its publication. Taking up the search, Gachot transcends Fisher’s obsession, managing to be delicate and respectful to both protagonists, while with access to Gilberto’s family and friends—including his second wife, singer Miúcha, and fellow bossa nova composers Marcos Valle and Roberto Menescal—he offers a portrait of this enigmatic figure.
Streaming Tuesday, September 29 - Monday, October 5
Q&A with director Georges Gachot moderated by programmer Mary Jane Marcasiano on Sunday, October 4, 3pm EDT on Cinema Tropical’s Facebook page.
GILBERTO GIL ANTHOLOGY VOL. 1
A film by Lula Buarque de Hollanda
(Gilberto Gil Antologia Vol.1, Brazil 2019, 73 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
North American Premiere!
The directing-producing team of Lula Buarque de Hollanda and Leticia Monte have been behind some of the most intimate, recent Brazilian music documentaries including The Mystery of Samba, starring Marisa Monte and the Portela Samba School, and Tempo Rei on Gilberto Gil. Their newest, Gilberto Gil Anthology Vol.1, is the first of a three-part series that will lead up to the iconic musician’s 80th birthday in 2022. This installment examines Gil's body of work between 1968 and 1987 through never before seen archival footage. A hit at the 2019 Rio Film Festival, the documentary, co-produced by the musician’s wife, Flora Gil, sheds light on his songs' background through conversations with the musician himself in which he discusses his worldview and expanding creative power at the beginning of his career during this turbulent Brazilian historical moment.
Streaming Tuesday, September 29 - Monday, October 5
Q&A with director Lula Buarque de Hollanda and NYU scholar Dylon L. Robbins on Thursday, October 1, 5pm EDT on Cinema Tropical’s Facebook page.
