Those who know only superficially Brazilian cinema, usually say that good films are not made in the country. But the reality is that the national industry produces great features, many of them internationally renowned. For readers who want to know more about Brazil, Bula has put together a list of ten mandatory options that are available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Globoplay. Among those chosen, “Aquarius” (2016), by Kleber Mendonça Filho; and “Cidade de Deus” (2002), by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund. “O Quatrilho” (1995), directed by Fabio Barreto, is on the paid channel Looke, on Amazon, but it is possible to test the service for free for seven days. The titles are organized according to the year of release.
Globoplay
Zé do Burro is a humble man, owner of a piece of land in the interior of Bahia, whose best friend is a donkey named Nicolau. As Nicolau is sick, he makes a promise to a mother of a saint: if the donkey is cured, he will share his property with the poorest and carry a cross to the church of Santa Bárbara, in Salvador. The animal recovers and Zé starts his journey, but faces many problems in the capital.
Amazon Prime Video
The film portrays the growth of organized crime in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro's favela considered one of the most dangerous in the capital. The drama is narrated by the character Buscapé, a teenager who found in photography a way to portray the daily life of the favela. In telling his story, Buscapé presents the violent conflicts between the leaders of trafficking in Cidade de Deus: Zé Pequeno, Bené and Cenoura.
In 1910, in a rural community of Italian immigrants in Rio Grande do Sul, two couples get together to buy land and start a plantation. They live together to make everything easier, but time makes one of the women interested in the other's husband, being reciprocated. Thus, the lovers decide to flee and restart life elsewhere, suddenly abandoning their partners.
Netflix
After graduating, young Tony decides to return to Remanso, in Serra Gaúcha, his hometown. Upon arriving, he discovers that Nicolas, his father, returned to France without telling the family, claiming to miss the country of origin. Tony starts working as a French teacher at a city high school and falls in love with the young Luna. He tries to get on with his life, but he still doesn't know how to deal with his father's absence.
Clara is a 65-year-old from Recife, a widow and retired journalist. She is the last resident of the Aquarius building, where she raised her children and lived most of her life. A construction company, interested in erecting a more modern building on the land, bought all the other apartments. Clara sees no reason to move and makes it clear that she will not sell her property. But, he begins to suffer threats to change his mind.
Marlombrando needs to take his mother, Fátima, to take an exam in Brasília, the city where the two lived long ago. In the capital, he meets his father, Almeida, who has been managing the only drive-in cinema in Brazil for over 30 years. Marlom has fond memories of his childhood at the drive-in, but the place no longer attracts spectators. So, he decides to overcome his pride and reconnect with his father to help him save the cinema.
The film follows the lives of the residents of a street in Setúbal, a middle class neighborhood in the south of Recife. Francisco owns a large part of the properties in the region and, for this reason, he exercises some control over the tenants' lives. But when the residents hire militiamen as private security guards on the street, Francisco loses his influence. While some celebrate the tranquility brought by the militia, others come into conflict with the guards.
Elvira is a housewife who is going through a troubled time. Her husband, Onofre, disappeared a few days ago and she decides to go to the police station to file a complaint. At that moment, the police begin to suspect that Elvira may have murdered her husband. The trajectory of Elvira and Onofre is narrated by the couple's blender, who acquired consciousness after a repair.
The film follows the journey of the agents of the Battalion of Special Police Operations (BOPE) of Rio de Janeiro, led by captain Roberto Nascimento. Roberto is tired of the pressure of work and, with the birth of his first child, intends to find a replacement for his position and leave the corporation. But first he needs to be sure that his successor will be as good as he is. In anti-trafficking operations, he observes the conduct of two police novices.
In 1942, in the northeastern hinterland, two men came from different worlds. One of them is Johann, a German who escaped from World War II, who drives a truck and sells aspirin across the country. The other is Ranulpho, a simple man from the hinterland who, after winning a ride from Johann, starts to work for him as an assistant. Gradually, a strong friendship emerges.