My Paolostinian Film Festival
June 28th 2007 08:58
There was plenty to see at Sydney's Film Festival this year, and I managed to narrow it down to a few screenings in which to attend. They ebb and flow within a similar theme, and that theme is Brazil - for the most part, the city of Sao Paolo.
FIrst was Accidente, one big montage of unrelated scenes in which it can be hard to make the metaphysical connection between them. It seemed natural progression for the scenes to be packaged into different cities of a southern state of Brazil. Hey, they may even actually have been shot in these cities.
Okay enough cynicism. The film eventuated into the form of poetry, making a verse or two out of the names of the cities documented. And when names translate into 'Watery Eyes' and similar it can make for some quite sensual poetry. It was a feast for the senses, but is simply too hard to put in a genre.
Someone from the audience yelled out "Finally!" when it finished, but I think she was just being a young upstart. What followed in this double bill on a cold and cloudy Thursday afternoon was "Sao Paolo_Citytellers" which was what everyone was waiting for.
Involved in this flick made by a seemingly unlikely colloboration of artists was the story behind Brazil's population, finance and crime capital. They talk of those in the city who make a living professionally recycling, a haphazard yet successful church for young people, those who work as public police by day and are contracted privately by night, and graffiti artists with tales of being most wanted by the property owners of the city.
It is a documentary with the intention of describing how the 20 million people of Sao Paolo survive while being extremely underfunded by the government. It works a charm.
Although it is showing a more positive side of how the city works, according to this next film.
'Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)' focuses on the political corruption related to the poor areas of Sao Paolo and the crime caused by its residents. Its the same everywhere, right? I was involved in a documentary on the Block in Redfern and made the connection that the poor housing affects the dignity of its tenants.
This movie just blasts my narration out of the (Atlantic) Ocean. Awesomely executed and leading us to an interview with a 'Bank robber/Drug trafficker/Kidnapper' it develops such an alive and structured view of the city it will split you in two when deciding whether to visit. This is a five star documentary. Catch it if you can.
Saude
FIrst was Accidente, one big montage of unrelated scenes in which it can be hard to make the metaphysical connection between them. It seemed natural progression for the scenes to be packaged into different cities of a southern state of Brazil. Hey, they may even actually have been shot in these cities.
Okay enough cynicism. The film eventuated into the form of poetry, making a verse or two out of the names of the cities documented. And when names translate into 'Watery Eyes' and similar it can make for some quite sensual poetry. It was a feast for the senses, but is simply too hard to put in a genre.
Someone from the audience yelled out "Finally!" when it finished, but I think she was just being a young upstart. What followed in this double bill on a cold and cloudy Thursday afternoon was "Sao Paolo_Citytellers" which was what everyone was waiting for.
Involved in this flick made by a seemingly unlikely colloboration of artists was the story behind Brazil's population, finance and crime capital. They talk of those in the city who make a living professionally recycling, a haphazard yet successful church for young people, those who work as public police by day and are contracted privately by night, and graffiti artists with tales of being most wanted by the property owners of the city.
It is a documentary with the intention of describing how the 20 million people of Sao Paolo survive while being extremely underfunded by the government. It works a charm.
Although it is showing a more positive side of how the city works, according to this next film.
'Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)' focuses on the political corruption related to the poor areas of Sao Paolo and the crime caused by its residents. Its the same everywhere, right? I was involved in a documentary on the Block in Redfern and made the connection that the poor housing affects the dignity of its tenants.
This movie just blasts my narration out of the (Atlantic) Ocean. Awesomely executed and leading us to an interview with a 'Bank robber/Drug trafficker/Kidnapper' it develops such an alive and structured view of the city it will split you in two when deciding whether to visit. This is a five star documentary. Catch it if you can.
Saude
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I love Brazilian Cinema from what Ive seen. City of God blew me away and the doco Bus 174 devastated.
Great post, keep up the good work.
Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
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Optomystic Opportunism
I'm kinda the alternative of alternatives in the way of the amount of Brazilian flicks I've seen, especially since I haven't seen City of God yet. Those three words are definitely what Brazil cinema means for most people.
I remember being heavily into the mafia stuff at the time COG came out, with the Sopranos starting up and reading the Godfather novel.
Marketing it as a kind of Brazilian mafia doco, I figured seeing it would be a bit of an overdose. Maybe when Scorcese retires...
Then there's 'If the Dead Could Speak'... (Braz, SBS)
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
If the Dead Could Speak is amazing stuff.
I see alot of films on world movies, many from South America and most possess an edgy beauty that I admire.
City of God is about totally transporting you, in no way a documentary..just great visual storytelling. You can taste and smell the characters and the locations. I never even thought of it as a mafia flick, its disorganized street crime.
Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
Bohemian Hiphop
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Optomystic Opportunism
If Russian Dolls is still out at my local DVD store this weekend I'll get City of God. I'm suspecting it'll live up to the hype...
Comment by katyzzz
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