Cinema of Brazil

Cinema of Brazil
Cinema of Brazil
	Gramado Film Festival
No.ofscreens	8,005 (2019)
• Per capita	1.6 per 100,000 (2015)
Main distributors	Universal (20.8%); Disney (17.3%)
Produced feature films (2015)
Total	129
Fictional	79 (61.2%)
Animated	26 (10.0%)
Documentary	50 (38.8%)
Number of admissions (2015)
Total	172,943,242
National films	22,485,736 (13%)
Gross box office (2015)
Total	R$2.35 billion
National films	R$278 million (11.8%)

Brazilian cinemawas introduced early in the 20th century but took some time to consolidate itself as a popular form of entertainment. The film industry ofBrazilhas gone through periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on state funding and incentives.

History[edit]

Early days[edit]

A couple of months after theLumière brothers' invention, a film exhibition was held in Rio de Janeiro. As early as 1898,Affonso Segretosupposedly filmed theGuanabara Bayfrom the ship Brésil on a return journey from Europe, though some researchers question the veracity of this event as no copy of the film remains. He would go on to make documentaries with his brother Paschoal Segreto.

From the early beginning of the 20th century, as early as 1900 to the year of 1912, Brazilian films had made a major impact on the internal market, which saw an annual production of over one-hundred films.^[5]In 1908, during a period coined Brazil's "golden age" of Cinema, the country saw its first widely popular film, titled Os Estranguladores, by Antonio Leal.^[5]

An ad of a May 1987 issue of Gazeta de Petrópolis, as shown in 1995 by Jorge Vittorio Capellaro and Paulo Roberto Ferreira, was introduced as the new "birth certificate" of Brazilian cinema, as three short films were advertised:Chegada do Trem em Petrópolis,Bailado de Crenças no Colégio de AndarahyandPonto Terminal da Linha dos Bondes de Botafogo, Vendo-se os Passageiros Subir e Descer.

During thisbelle epoqueof Brazilian cinema, when black and white silent films were less costly to produce, most work resulted from the effort of passionate individuals willing to take on the task themselves rather than commercial enterprises. Neither is given much attention by the state, with legislation for the sector being practically non-existent. Film theaters only become larger in number in Rio and São Paulo late in the following decade, as power supply becomes more reliable.

Foreign films as well as short films documenting local events were most common. Some of the first fictional work filmed in the country were the so-called "posed" films, reconstructions of crimes that had recently made the press headlines. The first success of this genre is António Leal and Francisco Marzullo'sOs Estranguladores(1908). "Sung" films were also popular. The actors would hide behind the screen and dub themselves singing during projection. During the 1920s film production flourished throughout several regions of the country:Recife,Campinas,Cataguases,Juiz de ForaandGuaranésia.

Also in the early 20th century of Brazilian cinema, there was a major lack of Black presence in films that were being made. Brazilian and American films are common in this aspect, as both countries had endured similar types ofEuropean colonization,and how the colored were not given any time or recognition on film. Many of the early films being produced in Brazil were also made byItalian Brazilians,with respect to the likes ofAffonso Segreto.^[6]Another way Brazil and America had similar aspects in their films is the idea of "blackface" in America, and the "redface" in Brazil. At the end of World War One, silent Brazilian cinema moved to the growing expansion of women and their social class, mainly the middle, and shows their modernization and diversification. Hollywood influenced the idea of women becoming more seductive in Brazilian cinema as well with new types of hairstyles, smoking cigarettes, and looking "exotic", in terms of appearance.^[7]

Hollywood films were also extremely popular during this time, accounting for as much as 85 percent of film material being exhibited on Brazilian screens in 1928. That year, an estimated 16,464,000 linear feet of film was exported to Brazil, making it Hollywood's third largest foreign market. European films, mostly from Germany and France, were also exhibited with relative frequency.^[8]Fan magazines likeCinearteandA Scena Mudawere published during this time, featuring both domestic and Hollywood films and stars.

1930s and 1940s[edit]

Atlântida[edit]

During the 1940s and 1950s, films produced by theAtlântida Cinematográficapeaked and attracted large audiences by continuing with chanchadas. Among the actors that became strongly associated with Atlântida who had previously worked in Cinédia films areOscarito,a comedian somewhat reminiscent of aHarpo Marxand commonly cast as lead, andGrande Otelo,who usually had a smaller supporting role and is often Oscarito's sidekick.

The two of the actors became widely popular throughout Brazil as an amazing comical duo. Otelo, would see much of the humor falling on him at the time due to his Afro-Brazilian characteristics, while Oscarito became the comical foil in the film, a more pale-toned man with like characteristics.

The two helped to display the diversity in Brazilian cinema to reflect on the diversity of Brazil itself.^[9]José Lewgoywas commonly cast as a villain while Zézé Macedo often took on the role of the undesired, nagging wife.

The films of this period have often been brushed aside as being overly commercial and americanized, though by the seventies a certain amount of revisionism sought to restore its legitimacy. Despite being overlooked by intellectual elites, these films attracted large audiences as none of the Cinema Novo films would achieve.

Today, thetelenovela,especially the "novela das sete" (a nickname given to soap operas produced by theRede Globochannel aired around seven p.m. Mondays through Saturdays) is sometimes identified as carrying on the spirit of thechanchada.Many of the films produced by the company have been lost throughout the years due to fire and flooding of its storage facilities.

Vera Cruz[edit]

TheCompanhia Cinematográfica Vera Cruzwas a production company founded in the state ofSão Pauloduring the forties and most notable for its output during the following decade. It is in this period thatLima Barreto's classicO Cangaceirowas produced. The movement was named after the large production studio, inspired byHollywoodscale.

However, despiteO Cangaceiro,which was clearly inspired bywesterngenre, the essence of these films followed theItalian cinema's style, popular betweenSão Paulo's cultural elite in that time. Vera Cruz films were highly commercialized, which led some directors to begin experimenting with independent cinema. This movement away from commercialized Vera Cruz style films came to be calledCinema Novo,or New Cinema. Vera Cruz eventually bankrupted and closed.

Cinema Novo[edit]

Rocha often spoke of his films as being a departure from what he considered to be the colonizer's view, to whom poverty was an exotic and distant reality, as well as the colonized who regarded their third world status as shameful. He sought to portray misery, hunger and the violence they generate and thus suggest the need for a revolution.Deus e o Diabo na Terra do SolandTerra em Transeare some of his most famous works.

Other key directors of the movement includeNelson Pereira dos Santos,Ruy Guerra,Leon Hirszman, andCarlos Diegues.Freedom to express political views becomes scarce as the1964 Brazilian military regimetakes place and repression increases over the following years, forcing many of these artists with amarxistorcommunistbent intoexile.In 1985, with the end of themilitary regime,these artists and singers returned to Brazil.

B Films[edit]

A "marginal cinema" emerges associated with theBoca de Lixoarea in São Paulo. In 1968,Rogério SganzerlareleasesO Bandido da Luz Vermelha,a story based on an infamous criminal of the period. The following year Júlio Bressane'sKilled the Family and Went to the Movies(Matou a família e foi ao cinema) came out, a story in which the protagonist does exactly what is described by the title. Marginal cinema of this period is sometimes also referred to as "udigrudi", a mocking of the English wordunderground.Also popular wasZé do Caixão,the screen alter ego of actor and horror film director José Mojica Marins.

Associated with the genre is also thepornochanchada,a popular genre in the 1970s. As the name suggests, these were sex comedies, though they did not depict sex explicitly. One key factor as to why these marginal films thrived was that film theaters were obliged to obey quotas for national films. Many owners of such establishments would finance low-budget films, including those of pornographic content. Though the country was under military regime,censorshiptended to be more political than cultural. That these films thrived could be perceived by many as a cause of embarrassment, yet they managed to draw in enough audiences so as to stay on the market consistently throughout those years.

1970s and 1980s[edit]

Films in this period benefited from state-run agencies, most notablyEmbrafilme.Its role was perceived as somewhat ambiguous. It was criticized for its dubious selection criteria, bureaucracy and favouritism, and was seen as a form of government control over artistic production. On the other hand, much of the work of this period was produced mainly because of its existence.

A varied and memorable filmography was produced, includingArnaldo Jabor's adaptation ofNelson Rodrigues'All Nudity Shall Be Punished(1973), Carlos Diegues'Bye Bye Brazil(1979),Hector Babenco'sPixote(1981) and Nelson Pereira do Santos'Memoirs of Prison(1984). One of the most successful films in Brazilian film history is an adaptation of Jorge Amado'sDona Flor and Her Two Husbands(1976) byBruno Barreto.

Retomada and contemporary cinema[edit]

The early nineties, under theFernando Collorgovernment, saw a significant decrease in State funding that lead to a practical halt in film production and the closing of Embrafilme in 1989. However, in the mid nineties the country witnessed a new burst in cinematic production, mainly thanks to the introduction of incentive laws under the newFHCgovernment.

The comedyCarlota Joaquina - Princess of Brazilcame out in 1995 and is held by many as the first film of theretomada,or the return of national film production. Since then there have been films withAcademy Awardnominations such asO Quatrilho,Four Days in September,Central StationandCity of God.

The dark urban filmThe Trespasserwas chosen as the best film of the period by magazine Revista de Cinema. Some other films that have attracted attention areCarandiru,The Man Who Copied,Madame Satã,Behind the Sun,OlgaandTwo Sons of Francisco,though perhaps some of these would no longer qualify as films of theretomada,since the term is only adequate to describe the initial boost that occurred in the nineties.

Still common in Brazilian cinema is a taste for social and political criticism, a trait that reflects its strong Cinema Novo influences. For the common movie goer, there has been a shift in perception towards Brazilian cinema as becoming more audience friendly.

Television shows of the Rede Globo network such asCasseta & PlanetaandOs Normaishave also received film versions and Globo Filmes, Globo's film production branch, has been behind many of the films that have come out over the years, often as a co-producer. Globo's presence is seen by some critics as being overly commercial, thus compelling certain filmmakers to work outside its system to create independent work. Documentaries have also had a strong place in Brazilian cinema thanks to the work of renowned directors such asEduardo CoutinhoandJoão Moreira Salles.

In 2007, the filmElite Squadgained headlines due to how quickly leaked DVD copies spread among viewers before its release on theaters, but also due to the large number of audience members who cheeredpolice brutalityscenes.^[10]

Domestic market[edit]

Since the 1970s, the quantity offilm theatershas declined heavily. During the 1990s, it became common for small theaters to close whilemultiplex theaters,which are usually found inshopping centers,gained market share. By December 1999,Cinemark Theatreswas the largest theater chain with 180 screens followed by local exhibitor, Grupo Seveirano Ribeiro, with 170 andUCI Cinemaswith 80 screens.^[11]In the last decades, the accessibility oftelevisionsandcomputerssold at lower prices combined with success in making telenovelas of high production quality made cinema less attractive to lower income audiences. In addition, ticket prices increased more than tenfold in a span of twenty years.

In the early 1990s Brazilian film production suffered as a result of the presidentFernando Collor'slaissez-fairepolicy; the sector had depended on state sponsorship and protection. However, with theretomadaBrazilian film regained speed, though not to the same extent it had seen before. A significant increase in audience was recorded, however, from 2000 to 2002, with 7 million viewers, to 2003, when 22 million viewers came to theaters to watch nationalfilms.

Because these films were made possible thanks to incentive laws introduced in the 1990s and that the number of viewers drawn in from year to year can fluctuate significantly, it is often questioned whether film production has in fact reached a certain amount of stability and whether or not it could in the future succumb to any governmental whims.

Incentive laws allow Brazilian films to receive funding fromcompaniesthat, by acting as sponsors, are allowed tax deductions. A common criticism is that, through this system, though films are no longer directly controlled bystate,they are, nevertheless, subject to the approval of entrepreneurs who are logically cautious as to which content they wish to associate theirbrands.Even with funding, there are still areas that require some struggle from filmmakers, such as distribution, television participation and DVD release.^[12]

References[edit]

^^a ^b"Table 8: Cinema Infrastructure - Capacity".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 29 July 2017.Retrieved1 January2018.
^"Table 6: Share of Top 3 distributors (Excel)".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 17 January 2014.Retrieved1 January2018.
^"Table 1: Feature Film Production - Genre/Method of Shooting".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2013.Retrieved1 January2018.
^^a ^b"Table 11: Exhibition – Admissions & Gross Box Office (GBO)".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2013.Retrieved1 January2018.
^^a ^bJohnson, Randal; Stam, Robert (1995).Brazilian Cinema.Columbia University Press.ISBN 9780231102674.
^Stam, Robert (December 1982). "Slow Fade to Afro: The Black Presence in Brazilian Cinema".Film Quarterly.36(2): 16–32.doi:10.2307/3696991.ISSN 0015-1386.JSTOR 3696991.
^Bicalho, Maria Fernanda Baptista (1993). "The Art of Seduction: Representation of Women in Brazilian Silent Cinema".Luso-Brazilian Review.30(1): 21–33.JSTOR 3514194.
^"Hollywood Filmograph (Jun-Aug 1929)".Hollywood Filmograph, inc. 1 June 1929.Archivedfrom the original on 19 April 2017 – via Internet Archive.
^Bergfelder, Tim; Shaw, Lisa; Vieira, João Luiz (2016-12-01).Stars and Stardom in Brazilian Cinema.Berghahn Books.ISBN 9781785332999.
^Success of the film Elite Squad
^Boros Queiroga, Andrea (March 3, 2000). "Cinemark in Latin America".Screen International.p. 15.
^Cinema of Brazil

Sources[edit]

PINAZZA, Natália and BAYMAN, Louis (eds) (2013). 'Directory of World Cinema: Brazil. Bristol: Intellect.
AUGUSTO, Sérgio.Esse mundo é um pandeiro: chanchada de Getúlio a JK.Companhia das Letras.
BENAMOU, Catherine, and MARSH, Leslie Louise. "Women Filmmakers and Citizenship in Brazil: FromBossa Novato theRetomada."InHispanic and Lusophone Women Filmmakers: Theory, Practice and Differencesed. Parvati Nari and Julián Daniel Gutierrez-Albilla, 54–71. Manchester, England: University of Manchester Press, 2013.
BURTON, Julianne. Cinema and Social Change in Latin America: Conversations with Filmmakers. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1986.
DENNISON, Stephanie and SHAW, Lisa. Popular Cinema in Brazil. Manchester, England: University Manchester Press, 2004.
GOMES, Paulo Emilo Sales.Cinema: trajetória no subdesenvolvimento.Paz e Terra. *30 Anos de Cinema e Festival: a história do Festival de Brasília do Cinema Brasileiro/ coordinated by Berê Bahia. Brasília, Fundação Cultural do Distrito Federal, 1998.
CALDAS, Ricardo Wahrendorff & MONTORO, Tânia.A Evolução do Cinema no Século XX.Casa das Musas, Brasília, 2006.
Brazilian Cinema.Ministry of Culture, Brasília 1999 (catalog).
Glauber Rocha: del hambre al sueño. Obra, política y pensamiento.Malba - Colección Constantini, Artes Gráficas Ronor S.A., April 2004.
NAGIB, Lúcia.Brazil on Screen: Cinema Nôvo, New Cinema, Utopia.London: IB Tauris, 2007.
NAGIB, Lúcia, ed.The New Brazilian Cinema.London: I.B. Tauris & Co, 2006.
PICK, Suzana M.The New Latin American Cinema: A Continental Project.Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1993.
TORRES SAN MARTÍN, Patricia. "Lost and Invisible: A History of Latin American Women Filmmakers."In Hispanic and Lusophone Women Filmmakers: Theory, Practice and Differencesed. Parvati Nari and Julián Daniel Gutierrez-Albilla, 29–41. Manchester, England: University of Manchester Press, 2013.
WILSON, Pamela, and Stewart, Michelle.Global Indigenous Media: Cultures, Poetics, and Politics.Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2008.

External links[edit]

[screens_uis-1] "Table 8: Cinema Infrastructure - Capacity".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 29 July 2017.Retrieved1 January2018.

[distributors_uis-2] "Table 6: Share of Top 3 distributors (Excel)".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 17 January 2014.Retrieved1 January2018.

[production_uis-3] "Table 1: Feature Film Production - Genre/Method of Shooting".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2013.Retrieved1 January2018.

[adm_gross_uis-4] "Table 11: Exhibition – Admissions & Gross Box Office (GBO)".UNESCO Institute for Statistics.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2013.Retrieved1 January2018.

[Brazilian_Cinema-5] Johnson, Randal; Stam, Robert (1995).Brazilian Cinema.Columbia University Press.ISBN 9780231102674.

[6] Stam, Robert (December 1982). "Slow Fade to Afro: The Black Presence in Brazilian Cinema".Film Quarterly.36(2): 16–32.doi:10.2307/3696991.ISSN 0015-1386.JSTOR 3696991.

[7] Bicalho, Maria Fernanda Baptista (1993). "The Art of Seduction: Representation of Women in Brazilian Silent Cinema".Luso-Brazilian Review.30(1): 21–33.JSTOR 3514194.

[8] "Hollywood Filmograph (Jun-Aug 1929)".Hollywood Filmograph, inc. 1 June 1929.Archivedfrom the original on 19 April 2017 – via Internet Archive.

[9] Bergfelder, Tim; Shaw, Lisa; Vieira, João Luiz (2016-12-01).Stars and Stardom in Brazilian Cinema.Berghahn Books.ISBN 9781785332999.

[10] Success of the film Elite Squad

[11] Boros Queiroga, Andrea (March 3, 2000). "Cinemark in Latin America".Screen International.p. 15.

[12] Cinema of Brazil

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