Marcelo Machado

Set against the turbulent atmosphere of the 1960s, Tropicália is a feature length documentary exploring the Brazilian artistic movement known as Tropicália, and the struggle its artists endured to protect their right to freely express revolutionary thought against the traditional Brazilian music of that time.

Five documentary filmmakers were invited to dive into the collection of the Museu da Pessoa and to propose rereadings and authorclippings from the life stories of Brazilians who passed through the museum.

A historical overview of what Semana de 22 was and its understanding over time, the event took place over three nights at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo (February 13, 15 and 17, 1922).

The documentary looks at the various meanings of leisure in the contemporary world and presents its implications in the field of ethics, diversity, coexistence and citizenship, among other aspects that need critical analysis and proactive action.

An awe-inspiring documentary exploring what makes Brazil one of the greatest footballing nations ever: ‘ginga’, the mysterious, indefinable magical quality of rhythm and movement which sets the Brazilian game apart from the rest. Produced by Fernando Mereilles (City of God, The Constant Gardener) and directed by three up-and-coming young filmmakers, Ginga follows seven young footballers from a diverse range of social and ethnic backgrounds, providing a glimpse into the passionate culture that produces some of the world’s finest footballers.

About the routine of those who live on the streets of São Paulo. Gilberto, a cardboard scavenger, becomes the video reporter and interviews other homeless people about poverty, exclusion, work and life.

An experimental documentary following the busy life of an office worker in São Paulo, Marly, and how he manages to have a personal life beyond that.

From his origins as a poet to his success as a singer and composer, Arnaldo Antunes revisits the most remarkable moments of his career.

A puzzle to Western eyes, China is a giant that imposes itself through the barriers of language, traditions and history. With testimonies and images of historical and sentimental value, journalist Jayme Martins and his family lead us to a comprehension of China through the unprecedented narrative of his experience in that country: Communism, Mao’s Cultural Revolution, the Celestial Peace Square Massacre, the reforms that culminated with the country becoming a superpower. Director Marcelo Machado dives into these memories and visits the country with which he possesses an affective liaison.

A poetic documentary by Alfredo Nagib, it outlines a futuristic vision of electricity through the musical universe of Kodiak Bachine, a composer and performer, a cybernetic character with punk hair. Kodiak Bachine is a pioneer of Brazilian electronic music and a founding member of Agentss, the country’s first electronic music band. Bachine plays himself as a man from the future who, although he has learned to control machines with his mind, has also become dependent on them.

A prodigy of stringed instruments, a pioneer of Bossa Nova, a modernizing master of the guitar: Aníbal Augusto Sardinha, better known as Garoto (1915-1955), is one of the hidden pillars of Brazilian music. Woven by rare archival material, personal diaries and testimonies, this documentary reveals his influence and the artistic conflicts of an avant-garde artist in the golden age of Brazilian radio.

The only musician to perform at the Modern Art Week of 1922, composer Villa-Lobos was the object of the biggest boos at that event. After that, he decided to spend some time in Paris, where he met characters like Jean Cocteau, Andres Segovia, Arthur Rubinstein, among others. It is from there that Villa-Lobos confronts his identity, starting to seek new directions for his work in his roots. This movie travels through the places where the musician went in the French capital, investigating the causes and effects of these encounters and the city in his work.