Zezé Motta

Falas da Vida

The filmmaker searches for his brother Max, who left his children without explanation. The brothers grew up in the Congo with their white father and Congolese mother. He visits their mother, who still lives in Kinshasa, and their father in Lisbon, as well as the extended family in France and Belgium. His search even takes him to Cambodia where Max was spotted. This fiction film is based on, and uses, the filmmaker's own family.

Os melhores Momentos da Pornochanchada

"Portraits and excerpts from Brazilian films from all times. Actors, directors and images that affirm cinema."

The son of a millionaire who owns gold mines in Transopia, Africa, Antoine Leblanc, who lives in a mansion in Rio, one day receives a letter from his father asking him for help against the gold smugglers from Transopia to Brazil.

Valentim, Kodak and Eddie have known each other since they were little and are shopkeepers at Galeria Futuro, a shopping center in Copacabana that boasted luxury and pomp in its past, and which today, is nothing more than a sad and decaying place. Full of debts and on the verge of bankruptcy, the gallery's management is surprised by a millionaire proposal from a Pastor, who wants to transform the space into an Evangelical Church. The three friends are devastated by the possibility of losing the much-loved Galeria Futuro, but with the help of Paula, a newly arrived shopkeeper, they will create a wild and surreal plan to try to save the Gallery and prevent its sale.

Gota D'Água

After being exiled for 26 years, Tieta returns to her native village in Bahia, bringing chaos and upheaving the local order.

Mulher 80 emerged as a result of the success of 'Malu Mulher' (1979), a miniseries starring Regina Duarte, which addressed the female situation in Brazilian society at that time. The main focus of the special was the female presence in music, honouring the singers and songwriters of MPB with musical numbers and testimonials.

Fiction based on a true story of Brazilian workers and people living near a pesticide plant, first owned by Shell and then by BASF, that suffered cancers and other severe health problems as a result of land and groundwater contamination around the plant and their fight for justice.

Three childhood friends plan meeting for a day in order to reassert their friendships and fight for their differences. One of them is involved with crime, one is a famous football player and the other struggles to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.

The story of the great train robber Ronald Biggs.

Orfeu is a popular composer from a samba school. He lives in the favela and falls madly in love when he meets Euridice, a newcomer to the neighborhood. But the local drug boss Lucinho stands between them and will drastically change both their lives.

Dois de Julho — Guerra da Independência na Bahia

'The Last Party' is a young romantic comedy that follows a group of four friends at their high school graduation party. Each protagonist with their love dilemma to solve throughout the night, all connected by the issues of this generation. It's their last night as teenagers. The last night with friends before being separated by different colleges. The last night before the rest of their lives.

The Alemão community in Rio de Janeiro is known for its high crime rate. Once again, a team faces drug trafficking to try to carry out the proposals inside the complex.

Luiz Gonzaga decides to change his destiny and leaves his childhood home for the big city to overcome a romance. When he arrives, he meets a woman he falls in love with, the Odaleia (Nanda Costa). After the birth of his son and his wife's health complications, he decides to return to the road to ensure a better future for his son. He has a friend in Rio de Janeiro and with him leaves the little one and heads to Brazil. He didn't imagine that this distance between them would develop into a complicated relationship, enhanced by the strong personalities of both. Based on conversations between father and son, this is the story of Luiz Gonzaga, a singer and accordion player known as Rei do Baião or Gonzagão.

A simple woman finds herself trapped in a toxic marriage, living a daily journey of submission and unhappiness. With few social ties and no future prospects, she looks for a job to become independent.

Carmen lives her last day of freedom before her husband leaves prison.

Heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Lucebra, Prince Lu lives carefreely, playing pranks on his family and friends. However, according to legend, when he turns 18, he will confront the mysterious Evil Dragon and save the people of Middle Earth. Despite the prophecy, he doesn't believe in the imminent danger and prefers to "troll" his sister, the Enchanted Princess (Gi Alparone), and everyone working in the palace.

Earning her living by dubbing American TV Series, a woman dreams of becoming an international Hollywood star.

A senator having contacts with illegal betting activities is killed by the man who is his right arm, who wanted to get his position. But the power structure resents this disturbance and can fall apart, specially since there's a witness.

Biography of one of the legendary names in the Samba genre of Brazilian music. Although he could hardly dance or play an instrument, he became one of the main composers of Portela, an important Samba "school" in Rio de Janeiro.

Falas da Vida: Histórias (Im)possíveis

The romanced story of Xica da Silva, a slave that used her "feminine atributes" in order to get power.

Jéssica is a teenager from Brazilian Northeast. After being abused by her stepfather, she runs away to Recife, where starts to work with sexual tourism. Then, she meets Mark, a German tourist, and falls in love with him.

Documentary about Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, and the many facets of his work.

Society's roles are reversed in this humored short film where Raimundo is the husband who is pregnant and takes care of the house while his wife Marta is the family breadwinner. Things escalate in the relationship when the man starts to feel undervalued by his wife.

Middle-class family reform their apartment, and the noise, the contact with the workers and strange occurrences turn what was supposed to be a trivial matter into a trip to hell.

Gerson King Combo – O filme

Transplante de Mãe

A beautifully told story using archival footage to explore the life of Grande Otelo, a groundbreaking Black Brazilian actor. Overcoming poverty and racism, he built a stellar career, facing controversy yet using it to challenge prejudice.

Adaptation and unification in a single story of several stories by the writer Rubem Fonseca, where the theme of violence in contemporary society is explored.

When Alex and Eva choose to exchange vows at the very spot they first crossed paths, a series of hilarious missteps derails their journey to the altar.

Jubiabá is a French-Brazilian film based on the homonymous novel by Jorge Amado. The film tells the story of the interracial love between the daughter of a rich Commander and Antonio Balduíno, a rascal, fighter and famous lover from Salvador.

Iolanda, a widow who is the matriarch of a large and complicated family, is the hostess of a large party in a mansion that brings back many memories. The celebration is marked by a barbecue with lots of gossip and fun among old friends.

Fim de Semana no Paraíso Selvagem

Documentary about Brazilian actress Sandra Bréa.

Júlio was raised only by his mother. Now, at the age of twenty, he discovers that it will be his turn to be a father, and that's why he decides to go after the father he's never seen.

Quilombo dos Palmares was a real-life democratic society, created in Brazil in the 17th century. This incredibly elaborate (and surprisingly little-known) film traces the origins of Quilombo, which began as a community of freed slaves. The colony becomes a safe harbor for other outcasts of the world, including Indians and Jews. Ganga Zumba (Toni Tornado) becomes president of Quilombo, the first freely elected leader in the Western Hemisphere. Naturally, the ruling Portuguese want to subjugate Zumba and his followers, but the Quilombians are ready for their would-be oppressors. The end of this Brave New World is not pleasant, but the followers of Zumba and his ideals take to the hills, where they honor his memory to this day. Writer/director Carlos Diegues takes every available opportunity to compare the rise and fall of Quilombo with the state of affairs in modern-day Brazil.

Cordão de Ouro

A documentary that tells the history of 4 famous actors in Brazil.

A documentary film about the taboos, stereotypes, and struggles of black actors in Brazilian television "soaps". Based on his own memories and on a sturdy body of research evidence, the director analyses race relations in Brazilian soap operas, calling attention to their likely influence on Brazilian African-Americans' identity-forming processes.

Dr. Ferrão, a famous psychoanalyst, uses his daily column on a newspaper to atract women to his practice.

Cyrus, Tim and Erik were high school buddies and meet again ten years later. They spend the summer together in Brazil. All of them are occupied in dealing with experiences from their past but new developments make them face their inner conflicts and their friendship with each other

Filmed over a five-year period, Chronically Unfeasible dissects Brazilian problems, using six people who meet in a restaurant in São Paulo as models to illustrate political, sociological and economic disparities between Brazil's upper and lower classes.

An industrial couple spends more than they can afford. In financial trouble, the husband Afraninho devises a strange kind of business, for foreign executives, in which the product is his own wife Malu. They succeed, and soon other couples start doing the same thing, establishing the competition.

Haroldo Costa - O Nosso Orfeu

Tributo: Zezé Motta

Two sisters are newly married; Guida to Paulo and Lígia to Décio. They spend their honeymoon in the apartment, a gift from the father of the brides. They will live there. Just a wall separating the intimacy of the two couples. Guida and Paulo are very happy. But on the other side of the wall; Ligia and Decius were never able to consummate their marriage. Decius is impotent and Ligia decides to commit suicide. To avoid the tragedy Guida, asks her own husband Paul to sleep with her sister for one night to help her losing her virginity. But when they continue to see each other, Guida gets jealous.

Por Um Fio

A sound and visual journey that portrays the life and work of singer and composer Luiz Melodia. The Poet of Estácio himself tells us, in the first person, his trajectory as a black boy born on the hill until his transformation into one of the greatest artists in the history of MPB. The film also features an unpublished collection made available by Jane Reis, his wife and businesswoman.

Sant'Anna dos Pescadores

A kingdom of fruits. A king with no strength to keep ruling. An orphan prince who does not accept his fate. A world at imminent risk. These are some of the ingredients of Abah, an adventure movie full of humor, in which we can follow the young Pineapple prince’s trajectory and his conflicts with his dreams and responsibilities. It is a story of acceptance and personal growth. A portrait of a brief moment of prince Abah’s life: a transition from his unripe childhood to the new colors of maturity.

New Rio, 2054 AD. The Order of Truth wreaks havoc on the streets, killing every being that has special powers. Renowned witch Dahlia is determined to beat the Order and assembles a clan of trans and queer people, each with their own supernatural talent. The fate of the city is in their hands.

Based on the book O Fantástico Mistério de Feiurinha, the story combines real world and fantasy, dream and determination, with a surprising end, even for a fairy tale. The movie shows the fight of the fairy tale characters, now adults, who come together to recover the fable of the Little Ugly Princess, a beautiful Princess with a strange name, which only makes sense for those who know her story. The problem is that children and adults have forgotten the story of the Little Ugly Princess, which is as wonderful as other major fables for children. Cinderella brings together other fairy tale characters to meet the writer who keeps, lost in a small notebook, the Little Ugly Princess story.

Biographical film of Sister Dulce, who, in life, was called the “Good Angel of Bahia”, also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and canonized by the Catholic Church. Contemplating from the 1940s to the 1980s, the film shows how the Catholic nun faced an incurable respiratory disease, machismo, the indifference of politicians and even the dogmas of the Church to dedicate her life to the care of the miserable, leaving a legacy that continues today.

Era Uma Vez...

Possible Film About the Journey of Singer and Actress Zezé Motta.

Tonho Tiê really likes living free, playing capoeira and drinking. During Carnival he meets beautiful Zulmira; they pledge love and projects for many children. But time passes and Tonho returns to being the womanizer he had always been. Zulmira, daughter of Iansã, cannot stand Tonho's brazenness, and asks her saint-mother to wash her honor with blood.

The life and work of Zezé Motta.

All the lives of Cora Coralina in a poetic narrative in the voices, feelings and interpretations of six generations of great Brazilian actresses. A polyphony of the voices that inhabited Cora, revealed in prose, verse and images with its immense literary talent and human content. The film reveals the trajectory of Cora Coralina, from her childhood years to getting married and leaving Goiás, from the long period of 45 years lived in different cities in the state of São Paulo and her return to the City of Goiás, when she revealed herself to Brazil with the strength of his poetry.

Many exotic characters meet in São Paulo night, looking for love and adventure: Malu, a model; Mauro, a drag queen; Teddy, a hustler; Guto, a gay reporter; and Marta, an actress.

Nopumoceno, the most successful businessman in the Cabo Verde archipelogo, is an ambitious, clever opportunist, known during his lifetime as "eternity single". However, he is then discovered by his illegitimate daughter to have gotten his fortune and his women in unorthodox and incredible ways

Poor people who live in the slums in Rio de Janeiro decide to occupy an empty apartment building in the rich part of the city. Meanwhile, a rich girl falls in love with a poor composer. Based on the musical play "Pobre Menina Rica", by Vinícius de Moraes and Carlos Lyra.

Bom Dia, Eternidade

This documentary investigates the aesthetic, political and existential trajectory of emblematic Black Brazilian actor Antônio Pitanga. His career spans over five decades, and he has worked with iconic Brazilian filmmakers Glauber Rocha, Cacá Diegues and Walter Lima Jr. He was a prominent figurehead and outspoken activist during the Brazilian dictatorship, a period of unrest in Brazilian cinema. "Pitanga" deep dives into the world of Antônio and the history of Brazil. The documentary was directed by his daughter Camila Pitanga, one of widely recognised faces in Brazilian television and cinema right now. The film is also a poem, and a tender ode to fatherhood.

Free adaptation of Machado de Assis's short story "Pai Contra Mãe", having some of Nireu Cavalcanti's 18th Century chronicles as inspiration, the film traces parallels between life in during the slavery period and in modern Brazil.

During the slavery period in Brazil, a sugar cane farm was the stage for the darkest kinds of horrors. Years later, the place's cruel past is still stained in its walls, even if unnoticed, until a series of strange events starts happening and death returns to the farm. The film is divided in five short horror stories.

The Devil himself comes to Earth to open his own church and the world becomes a pandemonium of delights and confusions. Based on a short story by Machado de Assis, the most famous realistic Brazilian writer of the XIX century.

Deep in the Amazon rain forest, there is a lost subterranean city. The place was built by Vikings who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and ventured up the Amazon River, and shelters a mysterious treasure. In order to find the secret location, Bárbara and the children Riacho and Manhã will have to face many challenges. Vicious snakes and dangerous pendulum blades are only the beginning of our heroes' adventures.

A movie about Banda de Ipanema, one of Rio de Janeiro’s most traditional Carnaval blocks, and its founder Albino Pinheiro.

Having come out recently from jail, a tramp, willing to make quick money, decides to organize a pool match between two famous retired players.

Kira, a botanist who is also the daughter of elves, must fight the evil wicked witch Algaz. In her quest, Kira will be helped by Epifania, agood witch, elf Daphnis and even Queen Dara, the fairy mother.

Em Cada Coração um Punhal

Interviews and performances with black women on film, theater and television who narrate their lives, careers, discrimination and struggles in the Brazilian artistic world. Starring actresses Zezé Motta, Ruth de Souza, Léa Garcia, Zenaide Zen and Adele Fátima, as well as activist Lélia Gonzáles.

A light-hearted and high-spirited story, full of spice, sensuality and romance, Viva Zapato tells the tale of Dolores, a beautiful Cuban dancer who decides to leave her failing marriage and open a restaurant by the beach with her aunt from Brazil. When her aunt sends her a pair of shoes instead of the money to start up the restaurant, she angrily sells the useless gift for spare change. Her dream fades away - until she discovers that the money was hidden in the heel. The zany search for the shoes begins, as she follows the footsteps through the lively streets of Havana, running into the quirky, colorful characters that bring Viva Zapato and Dolores' dream.

Um Varão Entre as Mulheres

Carolina Maria de Jesus. Her favela diary was a success in 1960. Despite her recognition, she died forgotten and poor.

A film on the feud between samba songwriters Noel Rosa and Wilson Batista.

Eu Sou Brasileiro

Cleo e Daniel

Larissa competed for the Rio Military Police in search of the ideal of “protecting the citizen”.

The death of the matriarch on Christmas eve provokes a crisis that makes the family review attitudes and give a new meaning to the date.

When Maurício becomes a student at a top medical school, he becomes obsessed with a mystery linked to the dead bodies used for dissection.

A Cat from outer-space comes to earth and befriends a Miller's Son and together they set out to defeat an evil wizard.

What does Brazilian cinema tell us? What does Brazilian cinema tell us about black actresses and actors? ‘Pressed, Ripped Apart’ makes use of archival sources to retrieve the trajectory of black actresses and actors who, between absences and delimited presences, between the fallacy of a racial democracy – based on the harmony among Brazil’s diverse identities – and erasure of identity, strain the history of Brazilian audiovisual and above all, our own history.

After a violent civil war, D. Miguel, the last Portuguese absolutist king, is defeated by the liberals, led by his brother D. Pedro. In 1834 D. Miguel left for exile. His supporters don't give up on returning him to the throne. Willing to do anything they even try to use the slaves of the colonies. A mysterious emissary is sent to Cape Verde to prepare an uprising. But other reasons were behind his visit to the archipelago ....

Through clippings, the film draws a narrative line between the construction of racism in Brazil and the United States, having as base the European invasion of the continent, police violence, the genocide of the black people, the massacre of indigenous peoples, religious violence, the criminalization of funk music, structural racism in art and education, the importance of quota policy and the need urgent historical repair as a commitment by the Brazilian state to the black people.

A paradise for the eyes, the phrase defines the character's destination place, A Terra Sem Males. After walking through forests and ruins, she realizes that that territory was built on the blood of many peoples. This knowledge could paralyze her, create fear, but they inspire acts of courage.

"Todas as Melodias" is a sensible journey throught the life and works of one of Brazilian music's biggest artists, Luiz Melodia. Featuring archive footage that goes back to the 1970s, the film presents the musician's cronology from his youth in the neighborhood of Estácio, Rio de Janeiro to his estabilished success.

Rio's criminal underworld is run by an unexpected boss: a femme Queen with a taste for power and violence. But heavy lies the crown: what Queen can trust her subjects, however fabulous? When she sets up a stoolie to take the fall for her boy, a plot against Her Majesty arises!

Prateados: A Vida em Tempos de Madureza

The women's athletics (4x100m relay) is about to win a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games, the Brazilian victory is almost certain and the athletes are one step closer to what would be a milestone. If only one fatal error hadn't put off their dreams: the carelessness of the young Maria Lúcia causes the group to be disqualified. This changes Maria Lúcia and Adriana's lives forever, Adriana does not forgive her teammate after the final. Four years go by. Maria Lúcia is still the great promise in athletics while Adriana makes a living out of MMA fighting. A few months away from the Tokyo Olympics, they are called in to join the new 4x100 team. This time, Maria Lúcia and Adriana need to overcome the mistakes of the past. They count on the help of veterans Rita and Jaciara as well as newcomer Bia, athletes who rediscover their true power as a team, showing that the Brazilian women's athletics is stronger than ever.

Based on the biography of Luiz Gama, one of the most important characters in Brazilian history, a black man who used the laws and courts to free more than 500 slaves. Born of a free womb, Gama was sold into slavery at the age of 10 to pay off his father's gambling debts. Even as a slave, he became literate, studied and earned his own freedom, becoming one of the most respected lawyers of his time. An abolitionist and republican who inspired an entire country.

Alma Negra, do Quilombo ao Baile

Vênus de Fogo

Monarchists and republicans meet in Araruna, a small fictional town in the interior of São Paulo, in 1886. The novel portrays the love story of the beautiful and wealthy Sinhá Moça - daughter of the slave, Barão Ferreira de Araruna, and sweet and submissive Mother Candida - , with the young abolitionist lawyer Dr. Rodolfo Fontes - son of Dr. Fontes, and the housewife Inêz. Together, they face the difficulties in the campaign for the abolition of slaves.

Xica da Silva

In this realistic and touching series told in an innovative format, seemingly independent plots intertwine to show how justice can sometimes be a personal matter.

Adapted from the homonymous work by Rachel de Queiroz, it presents the saga of a woman against female submission in nineteenth-century patriarchal society.

Americana

Grandes Nomes

Zé Maria Magalhães is an innocent young man who, suddenly, sees his dreams and family destroyed by a man's greed: Miguel Ferreira da Fonseca, a powerful banker. For 15 years, Zé Maria is forced to remain hidden, in a life of lies, in another country, imprisoned by the memories of the past, having to assume a new identity. Today, he is a great farmer, owner of the Ouro Verde empire, known as Jorge Monforte, and has become one of the richest men in Brazil. The course of time only fueled his desire for revenge, making him lose the sense of right and wrong and the ability to love. Fifteen years later, he returns to Portugal, ready to avenge the past and destroy Miguel Ferreira da Fonseca.

Metamorphoses

In a future where the elite inhabit an island paradise far from the crowded slums, you get one chance to join the 3% saved from squalor.

Dois em Cena: Encontro de Gerações

‘The End’ chronicles the passing of time in friendships and romances. The story is told through the memories of five friends who have partaken of the pleasures of youth in Rio de Janeiro, from the glamorous 1960s to the colorful 1980s. The five get together at the funeral of the most beloved of them, in the early 1990s. Adapted from the best-selling novel by award-winning actress and writer Fernanda Torres. The author herself has adapted the novel for television, diving into profound issues, such as aging and death. Always with Torres’ own celebrated brand of elegant, witty humor. The cast features a number of award-winning, household Brazilian actors.

Eloá and Osmar's marriage is thrown into crisis when a mysterious man crosses their path. With a thirst for prestige and power, Eloá will face the consequences of her ambition.

Gonzaga: De Pai pra Filho

Corpo Dourado is a Brazilian soap opera produced by and shown on Rede Globo from 12 January 1998 through 21 August 1998. The 191 chapters were written by Antônio Calmon and directed by Flávio Colatrello Jr, and later Marcos Schetchman.

Porto dos Milagres is a Brazilian telenovela that was produced and aired by TV Globo from 5 February to 29 September 2001, totaling 203 chapters. It was written by Aguinaldo Silva and Ricardo Linhares and loosely based on two works written by Jorge Amado - The Dead Sea and the discovery of America by the Turks. Had Philip collaboration Miguez, Maria Elisa Berredo, Nadotti Nelson and Gloria Baker, directed by Fabricio Mamberti and Luciano Sabino. Director general Mark and Robert Paul Naar, co-directed by Fabricio Mamberti and Luciano Sabino. Had the direction of core Marcos Paulo.

Meet Sereia, a young and beautiful singer whose world of fame and fortune is interlaced with envy and hate. Her murder in the midst of carnival shocks the entire country and the hunt for her killer reveals a new suspect with each new day of investigation. Holding the status of a big-budget thriller, the miniseries brings about mysticism, sensuality and suspense that hooks the viewer until the astonishing end.

Helena

A young law student starts to work as a detective, decided to uncover the identity behind a series of murders, as well as who is next.

In the swing of the 70s, two women fight for the love of the same man without knowing their fates were already intertwined.

The struggling Lívia despairs when she learns that her husband, before dying, lost a fortune in shady deals. Widowed and with three children, she is forced to fight for her family and leaves for the paradisiacal beach town of Maramores, where her mother Zoroastra lives. Parallel to the difficulties, Lívia discovers that she is involved in the eternal struggle of Good against Evil. In fact, Lívia is the reincarnation of Princess Cecília, the eternal passion of the vampire Bóris Vladescu, who has been pursuing her for centuries. The two met in 7th century Europe, when Bóris disputed the princess's love with Count Rogério. Nowadays, Rogério was Beto, Lívia's husband, and the two times he faced Boris, his arch-enemy, he took the worst. Boris is in Maramores to get Cecilia, his immortal beloved. Or rather, Livia, who raises the boy Zeca, who she doesn't even suspect is actually a half-vampire, son of Boris. The vampire is willing to prepare his son to take his place, but Zeca is reluctant to accept his condition, much to his father's despair. With Bóris comes a legion of vampires willing to terrorize the residents of the peaceful city. Among them, the splendid Mina, his wife, and the gallant Victor, who involves the sweet Ciça in a game of seduction. Vampires are closely watched by the flustered Galileo Van Burger, a vampire hunter who failed to prevent his wacky son Bartô from being bitten. Who also keeps an eye on the vampires is the mystical Zoroastra, mother of Lívia, a modern witch, who owns the main inn in Maramores. And the mysterious Ezekiel, in reality an angel who came down to Earth to protect Lívia and Zeca from the evil that persecutes them. Engineer Rodrigo also arrives in the city, followed by his ex-girlfriend Lara. The two are the first victims of vampires. Lara is bitten by Victor and becomes an evil vampire, due to her bad temper. Rodrigo is bitten by Mina, who becomes pregnant and is expecting a daughter from him, which she says is from Boris. Meanwhile, Rodrigo is used by Boris to approach Lívia. Who does not like this involvement is Augusto, a friend of Lívia who has loved her in the past. Augusto is a widower who raises his small children with the help of sister-in-law Marta, a blind woman, but bitter and Machiavellian, who does everything to keep him from Lívia, because she loves him.

The story begins in 1789 in Congo, in Africa, where a tribe celebrates the marriage of Luena and Kamau. The natives, trapped and sold as slaves.