Brazil presents 5 films @ Berlinale 2014

01 Feb, 2014

By Fernanda Franco
Translated by Jessica Whitfield

Among the 23 films that will be competing for the Golden Bear at the 64 ^th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) , which runs between 6and 16 February, is the feature film Praia do Futuro ( Future Beach ) , by the director Karim Aïnouz ( O Céu de Suely , Madame Satã) . The film, made at the end of 2012 in Fortaleza and Berlin, will premier at the festival and it stars Wagner Moura (Elite Squad), Clemens Schick (Circle of Fire) and Jesuíta Barbosa ( Tattoo ). Co-produced in Brazil and Germany, the film tells the story of Donato ( Wagner Moura ), who works as a lifeguard on Future Beach (in Ceara, Brazil) and his youngest brother Ayrton ( Jesuíta Barbosa ). Ayrton admires how his brother bravely throws himself into the sea to save strangers, however, after the death of a German tourist, Konrad (Clemens Schick) Donato begins to distance himself from his former life. When he disappears, Ayrton goes searching for him in icy Berlin. Karim will compete with very strong candidates from a variety of other countries, including Germany (Inbetween Worlds by Feo Aladag) China (Black Coal, Thin Ice by Yinan Dio) and the USA (Boyhood by Richard Linklater). In the PANORAMA category, 36 productions from 29 countries will be shown. Brazil will present 2 films which promise to please the critics. O Homem das Multidões ( The Man of the Crowd ) will have its international premier at the Berlinale. The film was co-directed by Marcelo Gomes ( Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus ) from Pernambuco and the artist Cao Guimarães ( Andarilho ) from Minas Gerais. The feature film depicts the story of Juvenal, a train driver in Belo Horizonte and Margo, a train traffic coordinator. Both live profoundly solitary lives, in their own particular ways. The film reflects on the diverse forms of solitude and friendship that exist in urban Brazilian.

The second film to be shown as part of PANORAMA is the feature film Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho (The Way He Looks) by the Paulistano Daniel Ribeiro. Ribeiro won a Golden Bear at the 58 ^th edition of the festival (2008) with the short film Café com Leite (Coffee with milk) . The Way He Looks grew from the huge success of one of his other short films, Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho , which amassed thousands of fans and over 2.7 million Youtube views , as well as being shown in over 100 festivals worldwide. If you still haven’t seen the clip, follow the link below to see a taster of the feature film. In the original short, Leonard ( Guilherme Lobo ), is a blind boy who goes to school with his best friend Giovanna ( Tess Amorim ). One day, a new boy arrives, Gabriel ( Fábio Audi ), who also starts helping Leonardo, marking the beginning of the three young people’s friendship. However, according to Daniel, in the feature film Leonardo will start to seek his independence, something all teens do, however, it is even more poignant when the teenager is gay and disabled.

Berlin International Film Festival

The Berlin International Film Festival is a cosmopolitan, vibrant cultural platform that attracts artists from all over the globe; it is one of the most important events for the international film industry. This year, the international jury will be chaired by the American producer, James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain). The jury will also include the American producer Barbara Broccoli (James Bond), the Danish actress Trine Dyrholm , the Iranian actress Mitra Faharani , and the actor and script-writer Greta Gerwig , the French director Michel Gondry , the Chinese actor Tony Leung and the Austrian actor Christoph Waltz. There will be two Brazilian short-films being shown. These are: Castanha (Chesnut) by Davi Pretto, selected in the BERLINALE FORUM , and Eu Não Digo Adeus, Digo Até Logo (I Don’t Say Bye I Say See You Later) by Giuliana Monteiro . This film will be part of the selection Generation KPluS for new talent. Brazil has not competed in the competition since 2007. The last film that won the prize was Elite Squad , by José Padilha . Let’s hope that Wagner Moura gets the Bear this time! Long live our national films!