Vida Bandida: Leonardo Pareja

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

Documentary about a political episode during the Brazilian military dictatorship, which resulted in the issue of the Institutional Act #5 (AI-5), abolishing freedom of opinion in Brazil, and marking the transition to the toughest period of violation of human rights in the country. The episode was the Congress Assembly on December 12th, 1968, in which its members denied permission to punish congressman Márcio Moreira Alves, as was the Government's wish.

"All Paulos in the World" is a cinematographic essay about Paulo José, one of the greatest artists in Brazil, in the year in which he turns 80 years-old.

The selfish Dr. André Luiz dies and awakes in the limbo called "Umbral". After a painful period in the gruesome swamp, he is rescued and brought in a white light to "Nosso Lar" (meaning "Our Home"). He finds a place of harmony, where people live in peace awaiting

On the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Irene has only a few days to overcome her anxiety and renew her strength before sending her eldest son out into the world.

An elderly retired couple teams up with young partners to plan a daring bank robbery, while trying to outwit a detective determined to stop them.

Bianca manages a precarious living as a talented but underemployed actress in Rio de Janeiro, performing for private events dressed as movie icons. Troubled by the belief that she has missed her big break, Bianca's situation is upturned by an audition that leads to a rare opportunity.

Overman, a fading superhero, takes a job with the government's Department of Public Security in an attempt to get back on his feet. While working alongside Pâmela, his loyal partner who is beginning to gain as much recognition as he has, Overman confronts his toxic masculinity and uncovers dark secrets involving the governor. Now, he must face his inner demons and an old enemy to prevent the city from plunging into irreversible chaos.

Malu is organising a gender-reveal party for a pregnant influencer – while dealing with her own grief, her persistent constipation problems and her adolescent transgender child (who disapproves of her job commission). At the condominium where Malu lives, some strange phenomena are unleashed in the home’s most private zone: the bathroom.

The small town of Furnas Fundas hides a secret far older than its pastures, forests, or the people who live there. During a heated election marred by scandals, Bartira, known merely as the town drunk, unexpectedly finds herself at the center of it all. It’s up to her to face a dark force that has returned to turn the town into a true bloodbath.

Five friends decide to enjoy Mardi Gras without their wives, leaving them home. But one of the wives doesn't accept this arrangement and tries to get even.

Inspired by the moving book “Só as Mães São Felizes”, by Lucinha Araújo, Cazuza's mother, the film covers a little more than 10 years of the singer’s crazy and brief life – from the beginning of his career in the Circo Voador venue, in 1981, to the huge success and the apotheosis of his shows with the Barão Vermelho band, his solo career, his relations with his parents, friends, lovers and passions, and the courage he had to face his final years, with HIV, until his death, in 1990.

Free adaptation of Machado de Assis' classic. The narrator is a rich dead man, who tells us about his life and times, making fun of both.

Julia is a 35-year-old English Literature teacher struggling with depression as she tries to get her life back together again after her long, intense love affair with Antonia. Feeling totally abandoned after she and her enigmatic girlfriend broke up, Julia is thrown into a desperate, painful process. Her life and her values have been tinged with unbearable melancholy and her life's measure seems reduced to out-of-focus fragments of her memories. Her inner turmoil and conflicts hamper a process now made necessary - that of readapting to her new life. It is impossible for her to disguise her pain when she attempts to narrate emotions.

University student who works in a bank experiences a personal crisis: he is torn between his ambitions and the temptation to engage in the armed movement against the military dictatorship of the time, in Brazil. At the same time, his love life is also confusing: he is unable to choose between two girls: an apolitical rich one, whose main interest is her own sexual liberation; and a working girl with family problems.

Over a trio of summers, a caretaker for luxury condominiums relies on her resourcefulness and her eye for opportunity to take advantage of whatever comes her way.

Thales, a successful businessman, is in crisis with his profession. He is married to the rich and spoiled Renata, and works with her father, the powerful businessman Augusto. One day, while on vacations at the home of his friends Rui and Pamela, Thales decides that will stop working. This unusual decision affects the lives of everyone around him.

In 1917, Rebeca flees from hunger and war in Poland and arrives in Brazil to reunite with her husband and start a new life. In Rio de Janeiro, she discovers that her husband has died and ends up being held hostage by a large prostitution and women trafficking ring, led by the ruthless Tzvi. Rebeca transgresses her own beliefs and finds allies who are experiencing the same drama. Together, they decide to fight for freedom.

Doctor Rafidjian turns to Dora Lobo's investigation agency to locate prostitute Ana Cintia. The case is in charge of Bellini and Beatriz, his new assistant. But the doctor is brutally murdered and the detectives infiltrate the night underworld of São Paulo in search of an answer, where they meet Fatima, a mysterious prostitute who gets involved with Bellini.

A loser goes to his college reunion determined to unmask a vegan alien cult's ritual murder, clear his name and recover the heart of his soul mate. Oh yeah, he also wants to get out alive.

Middle-aged married journalist goes to the beach resort of Búzios, in Brazil, to write a book. Gradually, he falls in love with his neighbor's daughter, a beautiful teenager much younger than he, ignoring the social implications.

Lucas and Bebel decide to get married and have no idea that religion will be a reason for discord in families. While the bride's father wants to strengthen Jewish traditions, Luke's mother wants her son to take Umbanda traditions to his future family.

Carlos is a man doomed by restless memories, that meets with himself, in a time warp. Young Carlos faces the forgetfulness of old Carlos, who doesn't recognize his own appearance. They get a package. But the package seems odd. The knot that ties, the smell, the handwriting on the envelope: this could only be sent by his father, Ernesto, who has been dead for many years. A father who always created unusual situations. In this time warp, Carlos is split in two: one Carlos remembers and the other forgets the moments he spent with his father.

Based on true events in Rio de Janeiro, in 1960, when a gang having the infamous outlaw Tião Medonho as a leader performed a sensational railroad hold-up on a train carrying a small fortune.

Ana is a rising lawyer who is going deaf. After losing her hearing, she begins to see and hear this new world of which she is a part, previously invisible. Through this new sense of hearing, Ana transforms herself and rediscovers her purpose.

Benjamim Zambraia is a lonely man, a famous model with a tragic past. Some time in the past, he showed some officers the exact location where the woman he loved was hiding with her guerilla lover. As a result, the two were killed. One day, he casually meets a woman who looks very much like his former love, and this fact changes his life. Could she be the daughter of his great love? Or her reincarnation?

The Spanish Infanta Carlota Joaquina is promised to D. João VI at the age of 10. Forced to leave for Portugal, Carlota suffers a great disappointment when she meets her promised prince. With the death of D. José, Carlota Joaquina and D. João VI inherit the Portuguese crown. However, frightened by the French Revolution and the approach of Napoleon's army, they decide to flee to their colony: Brazil.

Forty-year-old Cláudio is always looking for a romantic relationship. His routine changes when he has to take care of his 12-year-old daughter: women no longer look at him and the conquest tactics have no effect.

Disillusioned teacher Sara and forgotten poet Francisco were once married and now decide to meet again to talk about their hopes and anxieties. The former couple ends up meeting the young Penelope who changes their lives with her free way of being.

After being fired from his job and have his unemployment insurance money robbed, a young man decides to become a robber himself. While escaping authorities, he meets a female teacher of whom he takes hostage. Things get complicated when they fall in love with each other.

“Nobody Leaves Alive” by André Ristum is shot in beautiful but also distancing black and white. Looking at the Venice line-up, this seems to be a trend this year among the maestros of cinema. The film is inspired by true events that took place in the last century in the “Colonia” hospital in Brazil. Whoever didn’t fit the standards of society, or their family’s perception of it, was locked away, tortured, and killed. There were altogether more than 60,000 victims. Hope dies last, and some of the inmates don’t give up the fight. We’re reminded of film classics such as “One Flew Over the Cookoo’s Nest” or “Alcatraz”.

In Rio de Janeiro in 1963, the story of several characters is intertwined in the midst of the political scenario of the time. One of them is Troy, a CIA agent residing in Brazil who plans a trap for the President.