Luis Melo Movies
- 2005
The true story of a man who rose from poverty to become a respected but controversial spiritual leader forms the basis of this historical drama. João de Camargo (Lazaro Ramos) was born into slavery in Sorocaba, Brazil, in 1858. Thirty years later, Camargo became a free man when slavery was abolished in Brazil, and he took up farming with little success. In 1906, Camargo began experiencing sacred visions, and in time the visiting spirits told him the Lord wanted him to build a church. Camargo built his house of worship and became the key prophet of a faith which embraced both Catholic teachings and the influence of African spiritual cultures which came to Brazil with the slaves. With the help of his friend Cirino (Leandro Firmino), Camargo's church became a powerful force in Brazil, but he also angered the nation's political powers that be, as well as the leaders of Brazil's Catholic clergy. Cafundó also stars musician Leona Cavalli as the beautiful Rosario, who becomes a powerful ally in his struggle. A critical and commercial success in Brazil, Cafundó received its North American premiere at the 2005 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lazaro Ramos, Leandro Firmino, (more)
- 2001
This fanciful fantasy from Brazil (which was adapted from a play that previously inspired a top-rated Brazilian TV series) follows two poor but resourceful young men, Jack the Cricket (Matheus Nachtergaele) and Chico (Selton Mello), on their adventures. Looking for work, Jack and Chico get a job at a bakery, where the mean-spirited owner feeds them food so awful that when they give it to a dog, it kills the poor animal, leading the boys to fast-talk a priest into giving the dog a funeral mass. Later on down the road, shy Chico falls in love with beautiful Rosinha, whose father is the town's wealthiest citizen. While Chico is too timid to approach her, Jack is able to fool Rosinha's boyfriends into leaving town, leaving the field open for his friend. And finally, a gang of ruthless criminals invades the town and goes on a murder spree, with Jack gunned down alongside many of the town's most prominent citizens. As Chico buries his friend, Jack matches wits in the next world with the Devil (Luis Melo), persuading the Virgin Mary (Fernanda Montenegro) to put in a good word for himself and his friends to Jesus. O Auto Da Compadecida proved to be a box-office sensation in Brazil, where it has become the nation's top-grossing homegrown feature. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matheus Nachtergaele, Selton Mello, (more)
This beautifully photographed black and white Brazilian mystery chronicles the union between Paco, an aspiring actor living in Sao Paulo, and Brazil-born Alex, who works as a waitress in Lisbon, Portugal. Much of the tale is set in 1990 when Brazilian president Fernando Collor de Mello threw his country into an economic tailspin by suddenly confiscating the savings accounts of the entire population. At this time, Paco is living with his elderly mother in a poor Sao Paulo neighborhood. Tired of living in squalor, the mother dreams of returning to her native Spain. When she learns that her savings have been seized, the shocked old woman drops dead. Now without his mother, Paco feels little desire to stay in Brazil and so meets with the sleazy Igor, an antique dealer, and agrees to smuggle a violin stuffed with raw diamonds to Lisbon. Paco is to take the fiddle to a certain hotel where he will be paid by the contact. Unfortunately, he arrives, but the contact doesn't. This incident leads him down a twisted road filled with murder, danger and intrigue that eventually ends in the arms of Alex. In many films, this would be the end of the story, but not for Alex and Paco, for they cannot relax and enjoy their relationship unless they can somehow escape the murderous thugs Igor sent to kill them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernanda Torres, Fernando Alves Pinto, (more)
The Jackal of Nahueltoro was Jose del Carmen Valenzuela, the animalistic murderer of a mother and her five children. The superstitious Jose (Nelson Villagra) places stones on the chests and hands of his victims so their spirits would not follow him. He is jailed and sentenced to death, but before his demise, Jose learns to read and write, learns a trade and develops a belief in God. He is executed by a firing squad for his crimes, but he manages to become a compassionate human before his death, expressing remorse for his actions. Miguel Littin, in his directorial debut, took great care in interviewing witnesses and people who knew Valenzuela, researching the events of the murder and the life of the notorious butcher. He allows the story to be told as the events transpired, avoiding judgments and blame on crime, society and punishment. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nelson Villagra, Luis Melo, (more)
