"Brasileirinho" is a swinging musical documentary film about choro, the first genuinely Brazilian urban music, which has evolved over the past 130 years into a fascinating modern tropical sound. Choro had a prominent place in the development of Brazil's cultural identity and remained a major popular music style until the 1920s, leading directly into samba and later to bossa nova. After the discovery of the tango, salsa, samba and flamenco, choro remains the last authentic Latino music to be brought to international attention. The film remembers the history but shows above all a colorful picture of choro's vitality today.
The guiding line of the film is the combo Trio Madeira Brasil, composed of three of Brazil's outstanding Choro musicians: Marcello Gonçalves (seven-string guitar), Zé Paulo Becker (guitar) and Rolando do Bandolim. A look at Rio's weekly choro workshop with over 450 participants of all ages illustrates the unconstrained genuine Brazilian way of playing and improvising music at impressive levels of quality. Interviews with well-known samba and bossa nova artists like Zezé Gonzaga, Elza Soares and Guinga illustrate the symbiotic relationship with samba and bossa nova music. Clips of the final show by the Trio Madeira Brasil with their guests in one of Rio's traditional music theaters show once more the opulence of rhythms and melodies in choro, one of Brazil's best and most original styles of music.
Production: Marco Forster Productions, Marianna Films Oy, Studio Uno Prod. Art Ltd.
Screenplay: Marco Forster, Mika Kaurismäki
Cinematographer: Jacques Cheuiche
Musicians: Marcello Gonçalves, Zé Paulo Becker, Rolando do Bandolim, Ronaldo Souza, Yamandú Costa, Elza Soares, Teresa Cristina, Pedro Miranda, Zezé Gonzaga, Guinga u.a.
Format/screen ratio: 35mm, 1:1.78, Color
Running time: 90 min., 25 frames/sec.
Language: Portuguese
