Musical, comedy, drama, documentary, sitcom – Brazilian director Monique Gardenberg mixes all of these genres into a lively composite story about the residents of Pelourinho, the historic centre of Salvador da Bahia. She also wrote the screenplay.
On the last day of Carnival, Gardenberg follows the lives of a large number of very diverse characters. What most of them have in common is a lack of money: this does nothing to diminish their desire to party, however. This means they need to be extremely creative and highly inventive. The universally despised landlady Dona Juana, wannabe-singer Roque, taxi driver Reginald and his wife Marina, transvestite Yolanda, Carmen who performs illegal abortions, the lesbian bar owner Neuzão and sexy Rosa are just a few of the colourful characters that inhabit the world of Ó Paí, Ó.
In spite of a great deal of music, humour and joie de vivre, Gardenberg does not ignore the social problems that make life in Pelourinho extremely difficult. The film tackles subjects such as racism, (police) violence, drugs, unemployment and corruption.
Ó Paí, Ó was so well received in
Saturday 21 August, +/- 09.30 PM, Marie Heinekenplein
