Karim Aïnouz Movies
- 2006
A woman who has recently returned to her hometown village in remote, northeastern Brazil after two years of living in São Paolo refuses to allow the actions of others to dictate her fate as she keeps her eyes towards new horizons in director Karim Aïnouz's follow-up to his dynamic feature debut Madame Satã. Hermilla (Hermilla Guedes) is a single mother living a marginal existence in modern day São Paolo. Upon returning to the village in which she was raised to await the arrival of her husband, Hermilla longs for the day that her family will become whole. Her hopes gradually fade, however, when it becomes painfully obvious to Hermilla that both she and her newborn son have been abandoned. Secrets are scarce in a village such as Hermilla's, and when word gets out about her dire situation the optimism of the once hopeful mother is quickly corroded by feelings of failure and humiliation. Though she briefly rekindles a relationship with former boyfriend João Miguel (João Miguel), Hermilla's painful realization that there is no returning to the past, coupled with an enlightening conversation with thoughtful prostitute Georgina (Georgina Castro), prods the troubled mother into devising a foolproof plan to finally break free of her troubled past. After adopting the name Suely as a means of both distancing herself from her family and preparing herself for the bold journey that lies ahead, the newly transformed Hermilla determines to raffle off a most unconventional prize to finance her flight into the future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A woman who has recently returned to her hometown village in remote, northeastern Brazil after two years of living in São Paolo refuses to allow the actions of others to dictate her fate as she keeps her eyes towards new horizons in director Karim Aïnouz's follow-up to his dynamic feature debut Madame Satã. Hermilla (Hermilla Guedes) is a single mother living a marginal existence in modern day São Paolo. Upon returning to the village in which she was raised to await the arrival of her husband, Hermilla longs for the day that her family will become whole. Her hopes gradually fade, however, when it becomes painfully obvious to Hermilla that both she and her newborn son have been abandoned. Secrets are scarce in a village such as Hermilla's, and when word gets out about her dire situation the optimism of the once hopeful mother is quickly corroded by feelings of failure and humiliation. Though she briefly rekindles a relationship with former boyfriend João Miguel (João Miguel), Hermilla's painful realization that there is no returning to the past, coupled with an enlightening conversation with thoughtful prostitute Georgina (Georgina Castro), prods the troubled mother into devising a foolproof plan to finally break free of her troubled past. After adopting the name Suely as a means of both distancing herself from her family and preparing herself for the bold journey that lies ahead, the newly transformed Hermilla determines to raffle off a most unconventional prize to finance her flight into the future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hermila Guedes, Maria Menezes, (more)
A simple cruise turns into a jealous battle for the affections of a sultry prostitute as the co-owners of a small cargo boat make their way down the Brazilian coastline in director Sergio Machado's stylish and sultry erotic drama. Deco (Lazaro Ramos) and Naldinho (Wagner Moura) are best friends who make their living by renting out their modest cargo boat. Approached by 20-year-old prostitute Karinna (Alice Braga) for a ride down the coast, the trio sets out into the waters with both Deco and Naldinho employing her professional services throughout the course of the journey. After a fateful knife fight at a Cachoeira cockfight leaves Naldinho struggling for his life, Deco finds himself slowly falling for Karinna as his badly wounded friend battles back from the brink of death. Though Karinna's relationship with Deco becomes increasingly intimate during Naldinho's convalescence, it doesn't take long for the kindly prostitute to realize that Deco isn't the only one with intentions of claiming her as his own. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alice Braga, Lazaro Ramos, (more)
Two outcasts wander the back roads of Brazil looking for different kinds of escape in this drama. Johann (Peter Ketnath) fled Germany to avoid being drafted during World War II, and has ended up in Brazil, where he makes his living as a traveling showman and salesman. Johann spends his days driving his truck through the Brazilian outback, and when he discovers a suitably populated village, he sets up his portable projection system and shows advertising films promoting the latest wonder drug -- aspirin. Johann does good business at his stops, but spending most of his time behind the wheel gets tiresome, and he often picks up hitchhikers to break up the monotony. One day, Johann picks up Ranulpho (João Miguel), a native who strikes up a friendship with the expatriate German and offers to join him as a projectionist and assistant. While Johann welcomes both the help and the company, the two soon become aware of their different temperaments -- Johann has grown to love Brazil, while Ranulpho longs to get away -- and Johann finds he can no longer escape the war in the wilds of Brazil, as the nation has an economic alliance with the Allied forces and immigration authorities insist he either return to Germany or give himself up to military police in São Paulo. Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (aka Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus) was the first feature film from writer and director Marcelo Gomes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ketnath, João Miguel, (more)
João Francisco dos Santos was a figure of no small infamy in Brazil during the 1930s -- he was a flamboyantly gay drag performer who was also a notorious criminal, thoroughly unashamed of his sexual orientation and willing to defend himself with deadly force if the situation demanded. Writer and director Karim Ainouz brings dos Santos' story to the screen in this vibrant drama seasoned with music and dance. A tall and physically imposing man, dos Santos (played by Lázaro Ramos) grew up poor on the streets of Brazil; and once he reached adulthood, he shared a home in one of Rio de Janeiro's less picturesque neighborhoods with a handful of friends, including Laurita (Marcelia Cartaxo), a streetwalker; her baby daughter; Taboo (Flavio Bauraqui), a nightclub performer who sometimes turned tricks for extra cash; and Renatinho (Felippe Marques), one of dos Santos' lovers. After landing a job at a nightspot called The Blue Danube, dos Santos grew fascinated with the elaborate costumes and choreography of the stage shows, and became a singer and dancer at the club. However, when the management declined to pay him, dos Santos took matters into his own hands and demanded his salary at knifepoint, leading to the first of many stays behind bars. Upon his release, dos Santos pledged to make his name as a cross-dressing entertainer, though his fiery temper made taking advantage of him a bad idea. Madame Satã was screened as part of the "Un Certain Regard" series at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lazaro Ramos, Marcelia Cartaxo, (more)
A young man is forced to choose between family tradition and his own dreams and desires in this drama from Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles. In 1910 in a remote farming community, two families, the Breveses and the Ferreiras, both of whom earn their living growing sugar cane, have been squabbling over the ownership of a piece of land for years. The disagreement turned violent some time back, and after the first shot was fired and blood was spilled, the other family insisted upon killing the gunman as a matter of honor. The second shooter was then killed for the same reason, and ever since the two clans have been trading off murders in the name of familial honor and justice. The Breveses, who are a much smaller family, have been suffering a great deal more than their rivals thanks to this feud; a steady drop in sugar prices has also left the family with little but their pride. When Inácio, the first-born son of the Breves family, is shot down, his father (José Dumont) orders his next-oldest son, Tonho (Rodrigo Santoro), to kill one of the Ferreira boys after the traditional month-long waiting period. Tonho finds himself questioning the wisdom of this bloody rivalry, and he ponders his fate while spending time with his younger brother (Ravi Ramos Lacerda), whom his parents never bothered to name. As Tonho ponders his fate, a small traveling circus comes to town; Tonho and his brother are soon caught in the spell of Clara (Flavia Marco Antonio), a beautiful circus performer who befriends the young boy and nicknames him Pacu, while Tonho finds himself falling in love with her, and longing to travel the country at her side. Abril Despedacado won the Little Golden Lion award at the 2001 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro, (more)
