Oi, gente! Hey, everybody!

Wondering about what to assistir (watch) over the fim de semana (weekend)? I’ve got a few tips para vocês (for you)!

You’ve probably heard about movies like The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), Dark Water (2005) and On The Road (2012). But talvez (perhaps) not all of you sabem (know) that these works were directed by Brazilian filmmaker and producer Walter Salles. Salles nasceu (was born) in Rio de Janeiro and studied Economy before deciding to pursue a Master’s in Cinematic Arts in California.

Walter Salles

Owner of a successful career abroad, the director has been elected by The Guardian as one top 40 film directors no mundo (in the world). His works have amounted to a number of enduring masterpieces, many of them known to audiences all over the globe. Today’s post will give you a glimpse into Walter Salles’ striking earlier films. Nothing like curling up on the couch with a good movie to practice Portuguese!

Terra Estrangeira – Foreign Land (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6awC712onM

His first significant work, Terra Estrangeira follows the lives of Paco, um jovem (a young) actor with a long desire to visit Spain – his mother’s homeland – and Alex and Miguel, um casal (a couple) of Brazilians living in Portugal. The narrative constantly alternates between São Paulo and Lisbon, until these two seemingly disconnected plotlines converge unexpectedly. Alex is a waitress and Miguel is a heroin addict who occasionally smuggles goods for an extra income. Paco’s financial difficulties after his mother’s death causes him to accept a deal with um estranho (a stranger), so he is enlisted to transport a suitcase with mysterious contents overseas. The operation goes sour and the two worlds merge when Alex and Miguel also find themselves implicated in this predicament.

Salles’ action thriller addresses the immigrant experience of solitude and alienation in a historical moment of political turmoil. Besides being shot in grainy black and white – which lends the film a noir edge, its poignant musical score underlies the encounter of unlikely souls navigating unfamiliar territory.

Central do Brasil – Central Station (1998)

Central Station is Walter Salles’ most prestigious achievement, having been nominated for an Oscar and winning a Golden Globe among numerous other awards. The drama is a compelling story of an unlikely pair brought together by fate: Dora (performed by the notable Fernanda Montenegro, one of Brazil’s greatest stars), a disenchanted and cynical older woman, escreve (writes) letters for the illiterate at Rio de Janeiro’s Central Station and Josué is a young boy on his way to conhecer (meet) his father. After an unexpected accident separates the kid from his mother, Dora and Josué’s lives are intertwined. She reluctantly undertakes the task to set off on a quest to find the boy’s dad.

The duo must face a number of setbacks on their journey through remote areas, enquanto (while) also gradually forging a bond of tenderness and care. This road-movie is a touching portrayal of an improbable amizade (friendship) in which the characters undergo mudanças (changes) and find the opportunity to reinvent themselves.

Abril Despedaçado – Behind the Sun (2001)

Abril Despedaçado narrates a family feud between the Breves and the Ferreiras, a war over territory that has been passed on for generations. Tonho is um jovem (a young man) supposed to avenge his brother’s death by killing alguém (someone) from the rival clan. Though he has to face his tragic destiny, Tonho crosses path with Clara, a travelling circus member, with whom he falls in love and começa (starts) questioning the savage logic behind local customs. Torn between loyalty to his family and longing for liberdade (freedom), the protagonist sabe (knows) that the only means for him to join his lover on her erratic life is by breaking the endless cycle of irrational and futile brutality.

Salles’ film is a beautifully photographed tale of violence, revenge, orgulho (pride) and amor (love), set in an impoverished, sun-drenched rural zone with its own leis (laws), and where violence is an inherited tradition. Part of the movie’s success is due to its moving performances (which earned actor Rodrigo Santoro visibility abroad) and powerful images of the rural landscape.

Espero que tenham a chance de assistir aos filmes dele! Hope you get a chance to watch his movies!