Allan Kardec, O Educador

Allan Kardec, The Educator 

Brasil. 50 min. Portuguese. English, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal) German Subtitles. 

One of the most beautiful documentaries on the life and work of Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (1804-1869), the Codifier of Spiritism known as Allan Kardec, with a in-depth interview with Dora Incontri, a Doctor of Education and researcher at the University of São Paulo.

Brasil Brazil

Sonia Santos & Ana Gazzola

Live at Syracuse Jazz Festival in NY

USA. 2002. DVD. 60 min

Brasil Brazil Show is an invigorating and magical experience comprised of internationally renowned performers. Featuring Brazilian singers, Ana Gazzola and Sonia Santos, the show delivers the fervor, enthusiasm and excitement of Brazilian popular music.

Winners of the Newspaper Boy Award, The International Brazilian Press Award in 2004.

Cidade dos Homens

City of Men

Brasil. 3-Disc on DVD. 39 X 40’ Various Directors

City of Men is from the makers of the highly acclaimed feature film City of God and directed by the same Academy Award®-nominated team (including Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund), an action packed, powerful series that follows two teenage boys growing up in the treacherous slums of Rio de Janeiro.

Season I – Episode 1, The Empero’s Crown, directed by César Charlone

Season 4 – Last Episode, Somewhere in the Future, directed by Fernando Meirelles

“CITY OF MEN pulses with the kind of energy you don't get often on American television, and the realness of the shot-on-location scene really makes each episode feel like a minimovie,” San Francisco Chronicle.

Courtesy: Palm Pictures

FORCE OF THE SPIRIT

USA. 60 Min. Director: Joe Zimmerman

DVD Limited Edition. US Release.

Fighting over 200 opponents is incredible.

Fighting them with only one hand is impossible!

Force of the Spirit is a documentary about courage and triumph in the face of adversity. Jean Jacques Machado, born without a functioning left hand, overcomes all challenges to become one of the world's greatest hand-to-hand combat grapplers. This is the legendary story of a world champion. Awe-inspiring and inspirational, Machado demonstrates that it's not what's on the outside that determines a person, but rather what's on the inside. His story confirms that dreams can come true when you're willing to confront the challenges life deals you. With never before seen footage, witness evolution's most advanced warrior, his extraordinary fighting art and his influence on the lives of others who found encouragement by his example.

“Jean Jacques Machado is one of the greatest grapplers of all time.” Chuck Norris

HANOI HANOI

Brasil. 1993.  3’15” Director: Rogerio Rezende

Awards: MTV Awards USA, Best International Music Video 1994

Courtesy: Rogerio Rezende

Hummingbird

USA. 2004. 48 min Portuguese. English Subtitles. Director: Holly Mosher

Can one person really make a difference? Hummingbird is a documentary that explores the work of two non-profits started by women in Recife, Brazil. Through their grassroots efforts, they help kids get off the streets and women break the cycle of domestic violence, to find a second chance. Hummingbird goes onto the street to see the harsh reality of these kids, and then goes into the programs to show how these kids can be helped. Although the recovery process is slow - it is often successful.

Awards: Honorable Mention Best Doc - Temecula Valley; Audience Favorite - Eureka Springs; Best Documentary - Eureka Springs; Best Short Documentary - Valley Film Fest; Best Short for Children's Advocacy – Artivist; Human Rights Award - Rome Independent

Best Documentary - Black Point Film Fest

Courtesy: Holly Mosher

Living with Chimpanzees: Portrait of a Family

USA. 1996. 53 min Director: Flavia Fontes

The intimate, affectionate interaction of man and chimp in day-to-day life of an unusual nuclear family, Roberta and Phil and the two chimpanzees they have adopted, Charlie and his half sister Casey. It shows the joys and challenges of life with our closest primate relatives. It investigates their adaptive abilities when removed from their natural habitat, their amazing mental capabilities, and the bonding love that exists between chimpanzees and humans when they share such intimate space.

Flavia Fontes, Brazilian producer and director from Minas Gerais, lived with this unusual family on and off for three years to capture these spontaneous and revealing moments. She observes Charlie learning to use keys, painting pictures, and throwing kisses at a friendly voice on the telephone.

Awards: Communicator Award for Excellence in Documentary 1995; Directors Citation, Black Maria Film Festival 1997; New Documentaries series, MOMA, 1997

Maximum Cage Fighting

USA. 2006. 94 min English. Director: Gerson Sanginitto

A retired Tae Kwon Do fighter must fight the battle of his lifetime to get his daughter back.

Jimmy Garren (Jason Field) once a prominent Tae Kwon Do champion is challenged to a cage fight by a Maximum Cage Fighting champion and childhood rival, Nick "The Nasty" Harper (Chris Torres). When Garren refuses the challenge Harper has his daughter abducted. Will Garren save his daughter?

Gerson Sanginitto is a Brazilian director & producer from Rio de Janeiro.

Courtesy: Dominio Films

A OITAVA COR DO ARCO-IRIS   

The Eighth Color of the Rainbow      

Brazil. 80 min. Portuguese/English Subtitles. Director: Amauri Tangara

First feature film of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

A OITAVA COR DO ARCO- IRIS is an adventure of a young boy from a small village in the tough reality of a big city.

Joãozinho’s grandmother Didinha is very sick. He woke up one night as Didinha was praying to be taken away. He realized that she no longer could endure her suffering and made a decision to sell “Mocinha” his little goat and only asset. It was the only way he could afford to buy the medicine to heal his Didinha. As a clandestine he leaves his small country village to the capital. Will Joãozinho get the medicine to save his grandmother?

Rotnitxe  

Brasil. 1995.  3’33” Director: Rogerio Rezende

Awards: MTV Awards Brazil, Best Reggae Music Nomination

Courtesy: Rogerio Rezende

SUSHI MAN

Brazil. 2003. 20 min Portuguese. English Subtitles.

Director: Pedro Iua

A love triangle… dinner included. Bela a psychoanalyst, Beto her lover, Claudio her boyfriend… Bela mixes the ingredients together… all three at a dinner table in her apartment, to bring the affair into the open and discuss it rationally. It’s a recipe for surprises and amour, with lots of sushi and sake! Stop-motion technique.

Awards: Best Short, 7˚ Festival du Cinema Bresilien de Paris, Best Brazilian Animation and Video, XI Anima Mundi, Best Director, 3^rd Goiania Short Film Festival, Best Animated Short, I Anima Nit

TEL AVIV

USA. 2004. Drama/Adventure.

English/Arabic/Hebrew. English Subtitles. 10 min.

Director: Richard Goldgewicht

What do you do when your life depends on the goodwill of your enemies?

TEL AVIV is a film about survival, brotherhood, and breaking down of prejudice in a ten-minute English, Arabic and Hebrew film… a Lost in Translation in the Middle East. TEL AVIV is Harvey Schwartz, an American Jew, and worst nightmare: stranded in the Jordan desert in Israel, he is rescued by three Arab Palestinians in a van...

Awards: Bronze Warsaw Phoenix, Jewish Motifs, III International Film Festival; Best Short at New York Brazilian Film Festival

Richard Goldgewicht is a Brazilian director and producer from Rio de Janeiro.

TOQUINHO – TONS DO BRASIL

Brazil. 2002. DVD. 60 min

Toquinho, Brazilian music legend, singer, composer, perfomer and guitarrist.

Toquinho, one of Brazil’s greatest composers and guitar players, in a live concert pays homage to worldwide renowned Brazilian composers and musicians and his partners such as Vinicius de Moraes, Tom Jobim & Chico Buarque de Hollanda.

Courtes: Circuito Musical

TURNING

Presenting Raul de Souza with especial participation of Maria Bethania and Jaime Alem.

Brasil. 2006. 15 min Portuguese. English Subtitles. Director: Heloisa Passos

Turning is a documentary about Raul de Souza, a Brazilian trombonist living in Paris since 1996 still suffering from not being recognized in his country.

Courtesy Maquina Producoes