Brazzil
April 2003
Cultural Pulse
Plays, movies & best-seller books
PLAYS
RIO
Não Mexe Com Quem Tá Quietinho (Don't Bother He Who Is All Quiet)—Musical comedy written, directed and interpreted by Wandi Doratiotto, Arthur Kohl and Renato Caldas. Good-humored hints on how to deal with life's little surprises. From March 21, 2003 to June 1st 2003.
Quarta-Feira, Sem Falta, Lá Em Casa (Don't Miss It This Wednesday at My House)—Comedy. Two friends, both widows—one a hypocrite, the other foul mouthed—meet every Wednesday to exchange gossips and their own past extra-conjugal sexual adventures. Written by Mauro Brasini, directed by Alexandre Reinecke, with Beatriz Segall and Myrian Pires.
Os Sertões - Primeira Parte, A Terra (The Backlands - Part One, The Land)—Adapted from Euclides da Cunha's Os Sertões (Rebellion in the Backlands) by veteran and celebrated director José Celso Martinez Corrêa. The performance lasts 3.5 hours without a break. With the Uzyna Uzona troupe. Marcelo Drummond is Euclides da Cunha. The public gets the lyrics so it can participate in a sing-a-long. Being shown since July 12, 2002. No end in sight.
Tudo de Mim (All of Me)—Dramedy. Marcela, who just arrived from London becomes the roommate (and soon more) of Juliano. Then the fights start. Written by Emílio Boechat and Petrônio Gontijo, directed by Abílio Tavares, with Petrônio Gontijo and Bianca Rinaldi. Premiered on March 1, 2003.
SÃO PAULO
Capitanias Hereditárias (Hereditary Captaincies)—After embezzling a huge amount of money, a trio composed by an unscrupulous banker, his partner, plus the sister-in-law try to leave the country. Written by Miguel Falabella and Maria Carmem Barbosa, with José Wilker, Ney Latorraca and Natália do Valle.
Novas Diretrizes em Tempos de Paz (Peace Time New Guidelines)—The 1945 drama-charged real story about Polish Clausewitz, who needs a permit to stay in Brazil and the man who can give him this document. Written by Bôsco Brasil, directed by Ariela Goldmann, with Tony Ramos e Dan Stulbach.
No Retrovisor (In the Rear Mirror)— After a 15-year separation two friends get close together again and reminisce about their dreams and idealisms from their youth, in the '80s. One of them has become blind due to a car accident. Written by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, directed by Mauro Mendonça Filho, with Otávio Muller and Marcelo Serrado.
Sem Vergonhas (No Shames)—Based on Anthony McCarten and Stephen Sinclair's play Ladies' Night. The New Zealand story about down on their luck men who decide to put a strip-tease show was moved with success to the Lapa neighborhood. Written by Daniel Botti, translated by Liane Lazoski and Gabriela Morales, with Jandir Ferrari, Leandro Hassum, Jayme Del Cueto, Marcelo Mello, Pedro Neschling, and Marcelo Escorel.
MOVIES
Just-released or re-released foreign-language movies:
8 Mile - A Rua das Ilusões (8 Mile), A Máfia Volta ao Divã (Analyse That), Amor À Segunda Vista (Two Weeks Notice), As Confissões de Schmidt (About Schmidt), As Horas (The Hours), Bater ou Correr em Londres (Shanghai Knights), Buena Vista Social Club (Buena Vista Social Club), Bully (Bully), Chicago (Chicago), Cinzas da Guerra (The Grey Zone), Como Perder em Homem em 10 Dias (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), Demolidor - O Homem Sem Medo (Daredevil), Encontro de Amor (Maid in Manhattan), Frida (Frida), Gangues de Nova York (Gangs of New York), Harry Potter e a Câmara Secreta (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Johnny English (Johnny English), Kamchatka (Kamchatka), Leitão - O Filme (Piglet's Big Movie), Meu Pequeno Negócio (Ma Petite Entreprise), Mogli - O Menino Lobo 2 (Jungle Book 2), No Cair da Noite (Darkness Falls), Nunca aos Domingos (Never on Sunday), O Apanhador de Sonhos (Dreamcatcher), O Desprezo (Comtempt), O Filho da Noiva (El Hijo de la Novia), O Homem Sem Passado (The Man Without a Past), O Novato (The Recruit), O Núcleo - Missão ao Centro da Terra (The Core), O Pianista (Le Pianiste), Os Thornberrys - O Filme (The Wild Thornberrys Movie), Planeta do Tesouro (Treasure Planet), Prenda-Me Se For Capaz (Catch Me If You Can), Procura-Se um Amor em Barcelona (Gaudi Afternoon), Recém-Casados (Just Married), Sexo por Compaixão (Compassionate Sex), Solaris (Solaris), Stuart Little 2 (Stuart Little 2), Uma Vida em Sete Dias (Life or Something Like It)
Carandiru (Carandiru Penitentiary)—Brazil/2003—Based on Estação Carandiru (Carandiru Station) written by Dráuzio Varella. A doctor trying to prevent AIDS in Brazil's largest prison becomes confidant to several inmates. Directed by Hector Babenco, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos, Milton Gonçalves, Ivan de Almeida, Ailton Graça, Maria Luísa Mendonça, and Rodrigo Santoro.
Cidade de Deus (City of God)—Brazil/2002—Based on Paulo Lins's novel of same name. An inside picture of Rio's favela Cidade de Deus. How Dadinho e Buscapé grow up in world of drugs and crime. Directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, with unknown actors, including Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Seu Jorge, Matheus Nachtergaele, and Phellipe Haagensen.
Deus É Brasileiro (God Is Brazilian)—Brazil/2002—God decides to take a vacation, but before leaving his post, He has to find someone to take over during the break. Comedy directed by Cacá Diegues, with Antonio Fagundes, Paloma Duarte, Wagner Moura, Bruce Gomlevsky, Stepan Nercessian, Castrinho, Hugo Carvana.
Dois Perdidos Numa Noite Suja (Two Lost Souls in a Dirty Night)—Brazil/2002—Two undocumented Brazucas, a shy man and a promising singer, are roommates in New York. Directed by José Joffily, with Débora Falabella and Roberto Bomtempo.
Durval Discos (Durval Records)—Brazil/2002—A mother and a son who live and work together at a record shop specialized in vinyl have their lives unsettled when their maid disappears leaving her little daughter behind. Directed by Anna Muylaert, with Ary França, Etty Fraser, Letícia Sabatella, Rita Lee, and André Abujamra.
Janela da Alma (Soul's Window)—Brazil/2001—Documentary on vision problems and its impact on life and creativity. Among the interviewees: writer José Camargo, German filmmaker Win Wender, and musician Hermeto Pascoal. Directed by João Jardim and Walter Carvalho.
BEST-SELLER BOOKS
FICTION
1. Onze Minutos (Rocco) Paulo Coelho (0 - 0)
2. Mulheres Alteradas 1 (Rocco) Maitena Burundarena (1 - 6)
3. As Mentiras Que os Homens Contam (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo (2 - 117)
4. A Casa das Sete Mulheres (Record) Letícia Wierzchowski (3 - 11)
5. As Horas (Companhia das Letras) Michael Cunningham (6 - 2)
6. Melancia (Bertrand Brasil) Marian Keyes (4 - 4)
7. Seu Creysson Vidia i Obria (Objetiva) Casseta & Planeta (7 - 20)
8. De Repente (Bertrand Brasil) Barbara Delinsky (5 - 3)
9. Comédias Para Se Ler na Escola (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo (8 - 36)
10. Cidade de Deus (Companhia das Letras) Paulo Lins (0 - 25)
NONFICTION
1. Quem Ama Educa! (Gente) Içami Tiba (1 - 16)
2. Quem Mexeu no Meu Queijo? (Record) Spencer Johnson (4 - 116)
3. Tudo Tem Seu Preço (Vida & Consciência) Zibia Gasparetto (3 - 17)
4. A Semente da Vitória (Senac) Nuno Cobra (2 - 92)
5. Estação Carandiru (Companhia das Letras) Drauzio Varella (5 - 156)
6. A Ditadura Envergonhada (Companhia das Letras) Elio Gaspari (6 - 18)
7. Criando Meninos (Fundamento) Steve Biddulph (7 - 6)
8. Não Leve a Vida Tão a Sério (Sextante) Hugh Prather (0 - 0)
9. A Arte da Felicidade (Martins Fontes) Dalai Lama (8 - 111)
10. A Ditadura Escancarada (Companhia das Letras) Elio Gaspari (0 - 15)
The first number inside the parentheses tells the position the book was in the previous week. The second number indicates for how many weeks the book is in the list.
According to Isto É Gente - April 14, 2003 www.istoegente.com.br
