A cautionary tale for these times of democracy in crisis—the personal and political fuse to explore one of the most dramatic periods in Brazilian history. With unprecedented access to Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva, we witness their rise and fall and the tragically polarized nation...
When does a democracy end and a theocracy begin? In Apocalypse in the Tropics, Petra Costa investigates the increasingly powerful grip Christian evangelical leaders hold over politics in Brazil. She gains extraordinary access to the country’s top political leaders, including President Lula and...
Women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences inside an Estonian smoke sauna. Cleansing their bodies and baring their souls, they embrace the healing power of sisterhood.
After Rhoda’s husband passed away, she was thrown off the land and endured seven tough years living in an outdoor market with her children. Many women in rural Kenya meet the same fate when deeply rooted patriarchal cultural traditions and discriminatory practices deny widows their rightful share.
Eami means ‘forest’ in Ayoreo. It also means ‘world’. The story happens in the Paraguayan Chaco, the territory with the highest deforestation rate in the world. 25,000 hectares of forest are being deforested a month in this territory which would mean an average of 841 hectares a day or 35...
"Master" is the name of a 12-story apartment building in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro's neighborhood for nightlife. Over the course of four weeks in 2001, Eduardo Coutinho's film crew rented one of the 276 apartments and used it as home base to make a film about the building's residents. We get to...
In the 1970s, "festivals" were incredibly popular in Brazil, as they were recorded before a live studio audience, and usually featured a number of elimination rounds. They also formed the springboard for the career of many a big-name stars, such as Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Roberto Carlos and...
The story of seven free women who remain captives in the name of love. In love with inmates, they live the limitations of the relationship and the hope of one day starting a family outside. The film addresses this universe through emotional confidences, letters lovingly decorated and a privileged...
A documentary made to coincide with Niemeyer's 100th birthday. The renowned architect talks about his long life, his inspirations, and his aspirations towards a just Brazil, and the ways he tried to help that along in his spectacular and beautiful buildings.
It explores the last two years of Brazilian singer Cazuza's life, from his AIDS diagnosis until his death. Nilo Romero, Cazuza's music producer and the film's director, created a collection of rarely seen and controversial images.
Carlos Eugênio Paz recalls his participation in the armed struggle against the military dictatorship between the 1960s and 1980s. Using the code name “Clemente”, he participated in the National Liberation Alliance and in several urban actions. Through her own testimony and that of her fellow...
An irresistible journey through the universe of the singer and composer that revolutionized the song in Brazil and influenced generations of musicians, paving the way for movements such as Bossa Nova and Tropicália.
An homage to master Eduardo Coutinho, a Brazilian documentary filmmaker who recorded several interviews in the famous Master Building 20 years ago. Paz Encina searches for traces of Coutinho's still strong presence in the setting/object of his feature film, sewing an affectionate letter from the...
Today, one third of Brazilian children are overweight. This is the first generation to introduce diseases previously restricted to adults, such as depression, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. This documentary examines the case of childhood obesity in the country especially, but also in other...
Continuing the exploration of the thin line between truth and performance, Eduardo Coutinho turns his attention to the drama generated during rehearsals for the Galpão Theater Company’s performance of Chekov’s The Three Sisters. As he shoots scenes from the play, Coutinho attempts to capture...
Discover the history of the Chic Show ball, an iconic black music party in São Paulo. The event was a milestone in the life of São Paulo. Held in halls across the city in the 1970s and 1980s, the show became a meeting point for black culture and opened up space for funk, soul, rap and pagode,...
Simple, emotionally compelling documentary that delves into the songs that hold meaning in people's lives. It is composed of 18 sessions where the director engages his subjects in conversation about the song they picked. The end product is deeply personal stories about music and its intimate...
