Graal: Retrato de um Fausto Quando Jovem (Graal: Portrait of Faust as a Young Man)—Written by avant-gardist poet Haroldo de Campos and directed by controversial Gerald Thomas. A mix of discursive and poetic language. Faust is a poet dealing with Mephistopheles. With Bete Coelho.

Salve Amizade (Hello, Buddy)—A good-humored portrait of the forty-something generation. Two women decide to rekindle their adolescent passions just to find out how time has been cruel to their former leading men. Written and directed by Flávio Marinho. With Louise Cardoso, Cristina Pereira, Marcelo Saback, Paulo César Grande and Alice Borges.

Um Bonde Chamado Desejo (A Streetcar Named Desire)—The 1947 Tennessee Williams's play about fading Southern belle Blanche DuBois, her rape and end at a mental institution. Directed by Kiko Jaez, with Roberto Bomtempo and Flávia Pucci.

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São Paulo

Anchieta, Nossa História (Anchieta, Our History)—A celebration of the so-called Apostle of Brazil, Jesuit priest José de Anchieta, on the 400th anniversary of his death. By Alzira Andrade and Alceste Madella. Directed by Denise del Vecchio. With Daniela de Vecchi and Klever Dey Ravanelli.

O Princípio do Avesso—Dom Casmurro (The Opposite Principle—Mr. Peevish)—Based on Machado de Assis's (1839-1908) classic novel Dom Casmurro (1900). In a new twist, it starts with Bentinho suspecting his wife's (Capitu) fidelity and ends up with their first kiss. Written by Marici Salomão. Directed by Antônio do Valle. With Vicentini Gomes.

Prova de Fogo (Trial by Fire)—The story of the 1968 invasion of University of São Paulo's Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras by the police, during the military dictatorship. By Consuelo de Castro, directed by Abílio Tavares, with Alexandre Lima, Álvaro Franco and Marinê Pereira.

Tudo Blue no Mercosul (All's Blue on Mercosul)—In a vaudeville-style of theater, the play has some two dozen sketches peppered with music, dance and humor. Written by Sebastião Apolônio and Márcia Polachini. Directed by Sebastião Apolônio. With Maria Alcina and Alfred Estrella. Directed by Sebastião Apolônio.

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MOVIES

American films just released: Night Falls on Manhattan (Sombras da Lei), Contact (Contato), My Best Friend's Wedding (O Casamento de Meu Melhor Amigo), Shadow Conspiracy (Conspiração), Father's Day (1 Dia 2 Pais), Anna Karenina (Anna Karenina), Air Force One (Força Aérea Um), Gridlock'd (Gridlock'd, na Contra Mão), When We Were Kings (Quando Éramos Reis), Down By Law (Daunbailó) re-released, Stranger than Paraside (Estranhos no Paraíso) re-released.

Baile Perfumado (Fragrant Ball) — Brazil — 1996 — Directed by first time directors Paulo Caldas, 33, from Paraíba state and Lírio Ferreira, 32, from Pernambuco. The story of Lebanese Benjamin Abrahão, the only person who in the '30s was able to film bandit Lampião and his band. With Cláudio Mamberti (Benjamin), Luís Carlos Vasconcelos (Lampião), and Jofre Soares (Padre Cícero).

Ed Mort — Brazil — 1996 — Private eye Ed Mort (his name plays with the word morte, death in Portuguese) is hired by a suspicious wife to locate her husband — a master of disguise — when he disappears. Based on the comical characters created by writer Luís Fernando Veríssimo. Direct by Alain Fresnot. With Paulo Betti, Cláudia Abreu, Irene Ravache and Otávio Augusto.

Je T'aime Moi Non Plus (Paixão Selvagem) — France — 1976 — Directed by Serge Gainsbourg with Jane Birkin and Joe Dalessandro. Homosexual truckdriver falls in love with a young waitress.

A Ostra e o Vento (The Oyster and the Wind) — Brazil— 1996 — Film was shown at recent Venice Film Festival. The fantasies of a girl who lives with her father in an island after she hears about a sailor's adventures. Directed by Walter Lima Jr. with Leandra Leal and Fernando Torres.

O Que É Isso, Companheiro? (What's That, Pal?) — Brazil — 1996 — The story of the young guerrillas from the ALN (Ação Libertadora Nacional) and MR-8 (Movimento Revolucionário) who on September 4, 1969 kidnapped Charles Elbrick, the American ambassador in Brazil exchanging him for 15 political prisoners. Loosely based on Fernando Gabeira's book of same name. Directed by Bruno Barreto. With Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, and Fernanda Montenegro.

O Velho: A História de Luiz Carlos Prestes (The Old Man: The Luiz Carlos Prestes's Story) — Brazil — 1995 — Documentary based on a 1985 interview given by the founder of PCB (Partido Comunista Brasileiro—Brazilian Communist Party), Luiz Carlos Prestes (1898-1990). By Toni Venturi, narrated by actor Paulo José.

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BOOKS

Fiction

1. O Sócio

John Grisham

2. Meu Anjo

Fausto Oliveira

3. O Livro das Virtudes para Crianças

William J. Bennett

4. Asterix—A Galera de Obelix

Goscinny & Uderzo

5. Ícone

Frederick Forsyth

6. Sanduíches de Realidade

Arnaldo Jabor

7. Do meio do Mundo Prostituto...

and Histórias de Amor

Rubem Fonseca

8. Diário de um Magro

Mário Prata

9. 3001: A Odisséia Final

Arthur C. Clarke

10. Conversando Contigo

Zíbia Gasparetto

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Nonfiction

1. Cazuza—Só as Mães São Felizes

Lucinha Araújo

2. 203 Maneiras de Enlouquecer um Homem na Cama

Olivia St. Claire

3. As Receitas Preferidas de Ana Maria Braga

Ana Maria Braga

4. Inteligência Emocional

Daniel Goldman

5. O Princípio Dilbert

Scott Adams

6. A Dança do Universo

Marcelo Gleiser

7. Minutos de Sabedoria Simples

C. Torres Pastorino

8. O Sucesso É Ser Feliz

Roberto Shiniashiki

9. Inteligência Emocional: A Arte de Educar Seus Filhos

John Gottman

10. As Sete Leis Espirituais do Sucesso

Deepak Chopra

According to daily newspaper Jornal da Tarde