Short films

3 special short films supported by Reel Brazil Film Festival.

On Saturday 17th at 4pm. FREE

PIXINGUINHA AND THE OLD SCHOOL OF SAMBA

Director: Thomaz Farkas, Ricardo Dias

Through the legacy of the pioneering choro composers of the 19th century and of the Afro-Brazilian tradition, Pixinguinha produced the most important choro works of all time. Edifying the choro as a musical genre. In April 1954, Thomaz Farkas shot, with his wind-up 16mm camera, Pixinguinha e o Pessoal da Velha Guarda at São Paulo’s fourth centenary festivities. This material was lost and then rediscovered 50 years later. 'Velha Guarda', here translated as “old school” means the senior most respected musicians and composers in Brazilian music as these guys were at the time.

JORJAO

Director: Paulo Tiefenthaler

See behind the scenes of the world famous Rio Carnaval, through this portrait of the diretcor of bateria (drummers): Master Jorjão. He has been the maestro of Rio de Janeiro’s major Samba Schools, conducting hundreds of musicians! He talks about his relationship with the musicians and dancers, how he chooses to do the “breaks” and about the controversy of introducing Funk beats in the traditional Carnaval parade. Jorjão’s wife also tells us how she waited for 20 years, until she could marry him.

THE WORLD IS A HEAD

Director: Cláudio Barroso, Bidu Queiroz

The short brings to light the Pernambuco (northeastern state of Brazil) musical style called manguebeat (literally “mangrovebeat”). Never seen before footage of the singer and composer Chico Science, on board of his “Galaxe” through the street of old Recife. The doc also shows Gilberto Gil, the internationally recognized Brazilian composer and former Minister for Culture at his best alongside Chico Science.