Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Interesting how these similar reports stack up in a day, and from such different locales:
Long long time reader, first time bleh bleh bleh...
Forgive my poor english, first of all...
Well, World, ready or not, a huge monster of entertainment is awakening - the brazilian industry of movies will definely grant its space in the next 5-10 years with respectfull productions - and great stories, with greater interpretations, need to be told.
First, the social/cultural context: In our country, since the 50´s, theres a gigantic tradition upon TV Novels, as we call it (it could be translated by Soap Operas, witch I hate for obvious reasons) - the paralel of the popular series like Friends and the like. These productions involve millions of dollars and have about 150-200 daily chapters, and some of these stories is watched entirely from 60, sometimes 65% of all the nation (Brazil has almost 200 millions of habitants...), and productions are translated to more then 20 languages, distributed worldwide. That´s our principal video production experience, our greater tradition on entertainment, along with samba and soccer, of course.
There´s an empire, called Globo, which helds 95% of these productions. It´s dark origins has obscure links with past dictatorship, and its influence range from international politics to popular opinion manipulation. It´s the second or third greater network in the world, and its involved in the production of movies like City of God, Carandiru and others.
So, let´s get to the movies, right? Ok.
It´s Olga, a great brazilian movie that will represent our nation in the next Oscar (wich means little, actually). Directed by meticulous Jayme Monjardim (a great director of those TV Novels I´ve told ya), this pic is a happy union of facts, choices and great interpretations. Based upon the homonimous book by Fernando Morais, it tells the true story of this german jewish girl, witch strong beliefs and ideals lead her to a dangerous path through european Nazism and Brazilian cruel dictatorship in the late 30´s.
Her jouney goes from her first steps in Comunism (with the runaway from Berlim to Moscow in 1928) to the cruel end, at Bernburg in 1942. With a masterful interpretation of the main character by young Camila Morgado, the movie reveals the human, feminine (female?) side of this yet strong person, who goes from aristocrat to soldier, from girl to woman. When the character demanded absence of emotions, she is there - on the other hand, in the critical dramatic moments, Camila delivers it right in our face.
The capricious production reproduces places and clothes with unseen quality in brazilian movies - the grayish (does this word exists? the gray color, you know...) tones in camera that enphatizes hostile situations and places... snow in Rio de Janeiro (where the production was set), the good music of it, and so goes on.
Details of the political participation of Olga in Brazil is left aside - there´s only a few moments of it - for I think it´s because the intention of universalizing (another weird verb - sorry...) the story. For it´s historical value, mainly for Brazil´s history, itá a must see - and for a preludio of the rise of Brazilian movies, too.
There´s a participation of great actress Fernanda Montenegro as Luis Carlos Prestes´ mother (he was an important historical figure for us), which is worth the movie. visit www.olgaofilme.com.br - it´s distributed by Lumiére, if my memory is correct.
And of course, there´s a participation of the empire Globo on it´s production, too.
There´s a lot of brazilian movies going out here til the end of this year - Cazuza (a story about a great popular rock singer and superb composer), Cat Bed, The other Side of the Street, My Uncle killed a Guy, Redentor...
If you ever post this, call me Lelestat, the Brazilian Vampire - and if you do so, I´ll send more about those other movies, ok?
Thanks, Lestat.
"Moriarty" out.
