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CONTEMPORARY DIRECTORS OF NOTE
DIRECTOR Carlos Diegues (born 1940), Bye Bye Brasil (1980)
DIRECTOR Hector Babenco (born 1946), Pixote (1981)
DIRECTOR Walter Salles (born 1956), Behind the Sun (2001)
THOSE WHO STILL REMEMBER the first time they saw the film Orfeu Negro (1959) will probably do so with nostalgia. Based on Vinícius de Moraes's play Orfeu da Conceição, Black Orpheus captured the hearts of an entire generation with poetic images and the heart-warming music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luis Bonfá. Black Orpheus made history, confirming the adage that the history of Brazilian cinema is as rich and storied as the films themselves. After the new medium was introduced in Brazil in 1897, Brazilian filmgoers immediately embraced the opportunity to explore their culture in the movie houses that began to spring up in the cities of Brazil. The rise of film in Brazil generally corresponds to the timeline for the development of many national cinemas. The technology available then, coupled with what the moviegoing masses were ready to experience, dictated the types of films produced. Through an examination of the rich past and present of Brazilian films and their influential directors, it is possible to glimpse the future of Brazilian cinema.
The silent-film era in Brazil was not entirely without content. A few of the films made during the silent era were extremely deep and thought-provoking and are still considered to be some of the most important films of any period in Brazilian cinematic history. On the lighter side, films starring Carmen Miranda began to gain popularity at this time as well, offering escapist fare for those suffering from the economic hardship plaguing Brazil and the rest of the world that followed the crash of the U.S. stock market. Offering escapism, comedy, and pure fun, this type of film, combining features of slapstick and musicals, known as chanchada, was the most popular genre in Brazil for many years. As popular as these movies were for the masses, it was in the aftermath of the backlash against these films that a deeper, more profound cinematic voice evolved, one that continues to resonate in the darkened theater houses of Brazil.
The period marked by truly independent, diverse filmmaking began in the 19403. Brazilian art has always taken...