Gal Fa-Tal

Shot in 1971 during Gal Costa's famous concert "Gal Fa-tal" in Rio de Janeiro's Sucata Nightclub, Ivan Cardoso's eponymous Super-8 short film shows the singer both in and off stage, interlapsed with scenes from Cardoso's "Nosferato no Brasil".

1971-06-01 | pt

James Brown: Soul Survivor

James Brown's legacy has influenced rap, soul, funk and R&B. But along with his huge talent, there's a dark side to Brown's success that includes stints in prison and unceasing tabloid speculation. This in-depth documentary takes a look at the meteoric highs and deep lows of Brown's career, offering some fascinating insights from the Godfather of Soul himself, as well as interview footage with Chuck D, Little Richard, Wyclef Jean and many others.

2003-10-29 | en

James Brown: Love Power Peace

Live at the Olympia, Paris, 1971 is the only recording that documents one of his live performances with the original J.B.'s lineup featuring Bootsy and Catfish Collins. Love Power Peace was originally intended for a 1972 release as a vinyl triple album, but was cancelled after key members of the original J.B.'s left Brown to join Parliament-Funkadelic.

1971-03-08 | en

Maria: Ninguém Sabe Quem Sou Eu

The film is an unprecedented and exclusive testimonial of Maria Bethânia from director and screenwriter Carlos Jardim, interspersed with rare footage of rehearsals and concerts by the singer throughout her 57-year career. Actress Fernanda Montenegro narrates five texts by authors such as Ferreira Gullar and Caio Fernando Abreu about Bethânia's importance on the Brazilian cultural scene.

2022-09-01 | pt

Favela on Blast

For 20 years, a subculture has emerged in Brazil under society's radar. It is the culture surrounding 'funk carioca', a musical rhythm which mixes the American electronic funk of the 1980s with the most diverse influences of Brazilian music. 'Baile funk' is one of the most interesting musical movements in the world, but it comes from what is at times one of the most violent and poorest places in the world: the slums of Rio de Janeiro (favelas). This music is the personalization of the raw element. Bombastic rhythms coming from the American Miami Bass and samples are fused with powerful rap vocals using Brazilian slang. This documentary tells stories of sex, love, poverty, and pride among Rio's marginalized people. They have their own language, style, and heroes. It's a film that's fast, heavy, and violent like the city itself.

2008-01-01 | en

Sexo é Bom

1987-01-01 | pt

Abraçar e Agradecer

Celebrating 50 years of her career, Maria Bethânia filmed in Brazil in 2105 the show Abraçar e Agradecer, which now comes out on CD and DVD.

2016-12-02 | pt

A Living Culture

A short documentary with funk, fashion and noise, with intimate stories from students and artisans from New Zealand and India pursuing a responsible fashion future.

2022-09-16 | en

Festive Land: Carnival in Bahia

Festive Land examines one of the largest and most extraordinary popular celebrations in the world, the week-long Carnival that brings more than two million people to the streets of Salvador, the capital of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. Carnival is the most expressive showcase of the unique cultural richness of Bahia, where African culture has survived, prospered, and evolved, mixing with other Brazilian influences to create forms found nowhere else in the world. The film captures this unique cultural energy through extraordinary footage of musical performances, dances, religious manifestations, and street celebrations. At the same time, Carnival reflects the racial and social tensions of Brazil's heterogeneous society. At first glance there appear to be two million people chaotically mixed on the streets, but a more detailed look reveals how patterns of segregation driven by racial, social and economic differences continue in Carnival.

2013-01-09 | en

Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool

A musical documentary accompaniment to the 1994 benefit compilation album concerning AIDS in the African-American community.

1994-10-31 | en

Thunder Soul

Jamie Foxx presents the inspiring true story of high school band leader Conrad O. Johnson, who transformed his ragtag jazz band students into a legendary funk powerhouse that took the nation by storm.

2010-03-13 | en

Badi

The personal trajectory and the international career of the singer, guitarist, and composer Badi Assad.

2019-11-06 | pt

The Miracle of Candeal

The story of the Candeal favela in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, where musician Carlinhos Brown carries out social and cultural initiatives that protect and enrich the lives of its inhabitants every day.

2004-09-30 | es

Favela no Ar

The documentary shows the awakening of the poor youth to social consciousness in the identification of life that imitates art with art that imitates life. It is the São Paulo chapter of the cultural history of national rap in the voice of its main exponents.

2002-01-01 | pt

Betty: They Say I’m Different

An aspiring songwriter from a small steel town, Betty Mabry Davis arrived on the scene to break boundaries for women with her daring personality, iconic fashion style and outrageous funk. She befriended Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, wrote songs for the Chambers Brothers and The Commodores and married Miles Davis, turning him from jazz to funk and then went on to ignite stages in the 70s with her sassy sexed up mix of hard rock and bluesy funk, inspiring artists from Prince to Erykah Badu to Karen 0 and Peaches. Then she vanished…

2017-11-16 | en

Comitiva Esperança

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Saravah

Documentary about Brazilian music circa 1969, with extremely rare scenes, such as the only color footage of Pixinguinha, images of João da Baiana, one of the fathers of Samba, Maria Bethânia rehearsing at Barroco nightclub, Baden Powell playing his acoustic guitar, Paulinho da Viola showing his masterpiece "Coisas do Mundo, Minha Nega", that he had just finished, and Márcia, a singer from São Paulo.

1969-01-31 | pt

Danado de Bom

Born in Arcoverde, in the backlands of Pernambuco, the lonely boy who was raised by his father after his mother left, João Silva soon discovered a passion for the northeastern rhythms, such as the baião, xote and forró. He went to Rio de Janeiro when he was still a little boy to meet the idol Luiz Gonzaga. Both men, who were not very fond of each other when they first met, became not only great friends but also partners in many hits like “Doutor do Baião”, “Nem se Despediu de Mim” and “Pagode Russo”.

2016-03-15 | pt

Mamonas Forever

In less than ten months, the music band Mamonas Assassinas went from being completely unknown to becoming one of the biggest phenomena in Brazilian music. Irreverent, intelligent, sarcastic and creative, the band took over Brazil and sold two million albums in just six months. Never-before-seen footage and interviews from family, friends, producers, and musicians tell the band’s story, their challenges, their rise to fame, and the tragic aeroplane accident that killed all its members in 1996.

2009-07-04 | pt

James Brown Soul Brother No. 1

The James Brown Story

1978-01-23 | en