Lea Garcia Movies

A Brazilian astrophysicist who has spent most of his adult life in America returns to his home country to accept a prestigious government award and come to terms with his troubled past after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Upon returning to Brazil, Antonio (Jose Wilker) accepts his award and sets out to visit his adoptive father while attempting to find out the identity of his biological mother. Soon after being taken under the wing of street smart, dope dealing urchin Mosca (Sergio Malheiros) comes into contact with the wise Zeze (Lea Garcia). Fifty years ago the compassionate Zeze had provided Mosca's long lost mother with a helping hand in her most desperate hour, and now she has the opportunity to bring it all full circle by doing the same for the woman's son. As Mosca seeks out the company of the sensual Luciana (Tais Araujo), the ghost of a teenage girl (Anna Sophia Folch) flutters in the corner of his vision hinting that death can come calling at any time. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This film is rather short on story and technical presentation, but basically chronicles how a native African arrives in Brazil to find the remains of his family and bring them back home and then meets a female shaman who joins him on his search. Her lover causes some trouble but is soon dispatched, and flashbacks to slave life 200 years earlier provide a historical setting for the beginning relationships between Brazil and Africa. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This Brazilian film was made in 1963 but was not released until 1972 because there was a military coup in Brazil in 1963, and films about revolutions, even those taking place in the 17th century, were considered politically dangerous. Farming huge plantations using Native and African slave labor was the economic backbone of Brazil in its early years. Even today, large estates are farmed for their owners by peasant tenant farmers. From the beginning of European involvement until today, there have been innumerable slave and peasant revolts. Usually they were short-lived, brutally suppressed affairs. This film recounts the story of one revolt, in 1641, in which the slaves formed their own nation or "quilombo" and ran it for over 50 years. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro) is literally what its title suggests: a retelling of the "Orpheus and Eurydice" legend enacted by black performers. This time the setting is the annual Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Orpheus (Breno Mello) is a streetcar conductor; Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) has just jilted her lover and is attempting to escape his wrath. Orpheus himself falls in love with Eurydice, whereupon her ex-lover, disguised as the Angel of Death shows up and kills Eurydice. To reclaim his lost love, Orpheus enters "Hell" (the Rio morgue) and uses supernatural methods to revive the dead girl. A multi-award winner on the international film scene, Black Orpheus features a samba musical score by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Carlos Jobim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide