Inside the Mind of Favela Funk

Gal Fa-Tal

June 1971 •Portuguese

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".

Feminino e Barulho

October 2023 •Portuguese

The cinema of Pernambuco is considered one of the most complex components of Brazilian cinema, particularly for its potency and creative style. The presence of women in filmmaking seldom holds the same historical notoriety as that of men, and the Pernambuco scene is no exception. In the context of "Amor, Plástico e Barulho" (Love, Plastic, and Noise), we find a film that serves as a testament to the marginalization of women in the creative industry, intertwining themes of consumption and the production of brega music. Hence, we use "Feminino e Barulho" (Feminine and Noise) as a means to share what we've learned. Renata Pinheiro has inspired us to craft a narrative that gives voice to those who need to be heard. We are here to showcase a glimpse of them and what they represent. "Feminino e Barulho" is a short film about love, femininity, sisterhood, and empowerment.

James Brown: Soul Survivor

October 2003 •English

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.

Maria: Ninguém Sabe Quem Sou Eu

September 2022 •Portuguese

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.

James Brown: Love Power Peace

March 1971 •English

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.

Abraçar e Agradecer

December 2016 •Portuguese

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.

Favela on Blast

January 2008 •English

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.

Betty: They Say I’m Different

November 2017 •English

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…

Gal Costa: Estratosférica – Ao Vivo

November 2017 •Portuguese

"Estratosférica ao Vivo" is not just the record of a Gal Costa show. It is the portrait of the artist reaching the 70 years of life, 50 of them dedicated to music. The show "Estratosférica" ​​crowns the new artistic phase of Gal, more and more interested in connecting several tips of the history of the music of Brazil, joining the composers of its generation to names of the new national scene. The script, created by Marcus Black, was very good at this idea. Sewing songs by Caetano Veloso, Tom Zé, Luiz Melodia, Jards Macalé and Waly Salomão, Carlos Pinto and Torquato Neto, Roberto and Erasmo Carlos - a series of tropicalist and post-tropicalist works that until now serve as reference and feed the new generations of music.

Sexo é Bom

January 1987 •Portuguese

Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool

October 1994 •English

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

Badi

November 2019 •Portuguese

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

The Miracle of Candeal

September 2004 •Spanish

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.

Thunder Soul

March 2010 •English

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.

A Living Culture

September 2022 •English

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.

Comitiva Esperança

Invalid date •Portuguese

Sem Dentes: Banguela Records e a Turma de 94

July 2015 •Portuguese

A documentary about Banguela Records, a 90's brazilian rock label.

Saravah

January 1969 •Portuguese

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.

Dancing with the Devil

January 2009 •English

Rio de Janeiro. September, 2008. Three men stalk the gloomy back-alleys of the city's notorious slums. Spiderman, a 28-year-old drug lord, embarks on a routine patrol through the shadowy streets of Coréia, the sprawling slum he controls. Inspector Leonardo Torres, a muscle-bound operative from Rio's drug squad, inches through the alleys of another shantytown, shots ringing out around him. And Pastor Dione, an evangelical preacher intent on ending Rio's drug conflict, trawls the slums for lost souls. With unprecedented access to some of Rio's most wanted men, Dancing with the Devil in the City of God tells the story of Rio's drug war through the eyes of three men locked into one of the bloodiest urban conflicts on earth. Written by Jon Blair and Tom Phillips

Pra Ver a Banda Passar

Invalid date •Portuguese