Cartola

A documentary on the career of Beth Carvalho, the Brazilian singer who became a well known samba legend from the 1970s onwards, edited together from hundreds of hours of footage and audio files kept (and partially recorded) by Carvalho herself during her lifetime.

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Nara Leão revolutionized Brazilian music, broke prejudices, confronted the military dictatorship, opened paths for women. All this without changing the tone of her voice.

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Follows the story of Opinião, a theatre group created in 1964 during the early Brazilian dictatorship period to oppose the government through artistic performances. Considered the first left-wing response to the dictatorship, the group gathered now famous Brazilian artists such as Nara Leão, Maria Bethânia, João do Vale and Millôr Fernandes.

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The life and work of the late samba singer-songwriter Candeia.

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The story follows important moments in the life of Angenor de Oliveira, known as Cartola. From his childhood in middle-class neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro to his move to Morro da Mangueira, passing through his complicated family relationships and his first compositions.

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Documentary on the life and times of one of the most prominent Brazilian samba composers, Cartola (Angenor de Oliveira).

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Samba on Your Feet explores the shared roots of Carnival and Samba in Brazil and how they’ve come together to form a unique and vibrant culture. The journey begins behind the scenes of Rio de Janeiro’s Samba schools. Here, we witness the hard work and dedication of choreographers, dancers, musicians, and costume makers coming together in the spirit of teamwork and collaboration to create a spectacle that celebrates the infectious rhythms of Samba. The camera of Montes-Bradley also explores nearby favelas, where the audience discovers more links between Carnival and Samba and learns about the cultural history linking both to common African traditions. Cultural historian Haroldo Costa is our host on this pilgrimage to the roots, illuminating the importance of Samba in Brazilian culture and explaining its influences on Carnival.

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