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Tag Archives: Carlos Diegues
Orfeu (1999) Carlos Diegues, Toni Garrido, Patrícia França, Murilo Benício, Crime, Drama, Music
In a dangerous but human Rio de Janiro’s slum, rises the love affair between Orfeu, a famous composer, and Eurídice, a simple but pretty brunette, provoking jealousy and violence in times of carnival. A kind of Brazilian Romeo and Juliet, full of samba.
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Quilombo (1984) Carlos Diegues, Bené Batista, Jonas Bloch, Zózimo Bulbul, Drama
Quilombo de Palmares was a real-life democratic society, created in Brazil in the 17th century. This incredibly elaborate (and surprisingly little-known) film traces the origins of Quilombo, which began as a community of freed slaves. The colony becomes a safe harbor for other outcasts of the world, including Indians and Jews. Ganga Zumba (Toni Tornado) becomes president of Quilombo, the first freely elected leader in the Western Hemisphere. Naturally, the ruling Portuguese want to subjugate Zumba and his followers, but the Quilombians are ready for their would-be oppressors. The end of this Brave New World is not pleasant, but the followers of Zumba and his ideals take to the hills, where they honor his memory to this day. Writer/director Carlos Diegues takes every available opportunity to compare the rise and fall of Quilombo with the state of affairs in modern-day Brazil.
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