Marcelo Machado | Brazil | 2011 | 87’ | In Portuguese, English and French | English subtitles
Nelly Furtado, Beck, Kurt Cobain, David Byrne – all artists influenced by the Tropicália, also known as Tropicalism, an avant-garde movement of the 1960s which encompassed music, theatre and poetry. In this documentary director Marcelo Machado presents an extremely accurate reconstruction of the history of this influential cultural movement. He focuses on two of the greatest representatives: the musical geniuses Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
Both were born in 1942, both in Brazil’s north-eastern state of Bahia, and both demonstrated an exceptional musical talent already at an early age. Veloso wanted to broaden his horizon and dove into American music, from Jimi Hendrix to Louis Armstrong, Gil on the other hand was mainly fascinated by the Afro-Brazilian rhythms and music he had heard all around him as a child. Their paths crossed at the Bahia University; they both dreamed of a cultural progressive and leading Brazil and both had a deep love for Brazilian music. In 1964 their dreams were abruptly disturbed when a coup put an end to all libertarian ideals. Veloso and Gil were persecuted, arrested and eventually exiled.
Through interviews and lots of archived footage the film shows the resilience and resourcefulness of this movement.
Screenings:
SAT 11 AUG - 21:15 | 
SUN 12 AUG - 14:15 |
