The Embassy of Brazil in Manila, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) and the sponsorship of “Sambazon” organized the 9th Brazilian Film Festival (BFF), from Dec. 5 to 7, 2024. The last edition of the BFF took place in 2019, but the initiative was later interrupted due to the pandemic.
Attended by the Ambassador of the Embassy of Brazil in the Philippines, Gilberto Fonseca Guimarães de Moura said in his remarks that films brings diversity to the spotlight regardless of nationality, culture or social backgrounds.
He added “Although Brazil and the Philippines are on opposite sides of the globe, we are quite similar in many aspects, as our movie selection will show, and I hope the audience will enjoy. The universal language of cinema is one of the best ways to keep and strengthen the friendship between the Philippines and Brazil”.
The Festival brought this year four movies, under the theme “Sounds of Brazil”, as three of them paid tribute to the Brazilian people who have contributed to Brazilian rich and diverse musical expressions.
“Amazônia Groove” is a documentary about the music of northern Brazil and the Amazon region in South America. Departing from Belém and crossing much of the rain forest in the state of Pará, its towns and riverside villages, the movie reveals local artists and their traditions, faith and mysticism, music and life that resonate in that part of the country.
“João, o Maestro” tells the story of the musician João Carlos Martins, whose childhood was reclusive due to serious health problems. But one day, the piano came into his life. He arises as a stubborn boy who, in a few years, becomes one of the greatest talents of the Brazilian classical music.
“Desafinados” (Slightly out of tune) is about a group of young musicians who live in Rio de Janeiro during the political turmoil in Brazil in the 1960s. Together, these musicians formed a band called “Os Desafinados” and became part of the groundbreaking and world renowned Brazilian musical movement called "Bossa Nova".
“O ano em que meus pais saíram de férias” (The year my parents went on vacation) is set in 1970. A boy called Mauro is taken to live with his grandfather while his mother and father flee the Brazilian Military Rule. As the nation prepares to watch their team compete in the soccer World Cup in Mexico, Mauro waits for news about his family. Despite not having a music motif, the movie displays the voices of soccer supporters, people fighting for political freedom and a boy longing for his parents’ return.
The opening ceremony of the 9th Brazilian Film Festival was held last Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. at the UPFI Film Center building, Magsaysay and Osmeña Avenue, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Admission to the screenings was free of charge and open to everyone. A cocktail was held before the screening of “Amazônia Groove”, with Brazilian snacks and the sampling of “açaí”, a berry from the Amazon Forest and whose flavor and healthy qualities have become famous worldwide. There was also a presentation of Capoeira, a martial art and dance that originated in Brazil and is known for its acrobatic and flowing movements. UNESCO named Capoeira to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.