To Understand Brazil / Best of Brazil Movies (and TV)
by nonada | created - 01 Jan 2011 | updated - 28 Apr 2012 | PublicNot in a special order.
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1. Antonio das Mortes (1969)
100 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In this sequel to "Black God, White Devil", Antonio das Mortes must return back to action after killing the last of the Cangaceiros 29 years ago, when a new outlaw appears, who will eventually reveal as an idealist and mark him profoundly.
Director: Glauber Rocha | Stars: Maurício do Valle, Odete Lara, Othon Bastos, Hugo Carvana
Votes: 2,275
2. A Dog's Will (2000)
104 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Follows the lives of 2 poor Brazilians and their schemes to get money and the consequences of their actions.
Director: Guel Arraes | Stars: Matheus Nachtergaele, Selton Mello, Rogério Cardoso, Denise Fraga
Votes: 16,848
3. A Máquina (2005)
89 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Karina has 2 dreams: to become an actress & to see the world. Antonio is in love with her. He promises to bring the world to "Nordestina", a village in the sticks of Brazil. This backwater ... See full summary »
Director: João Falcão | Stars: Paulo Autran, Gustavo Falcão, Mariana Ximenes, Lázaro Ramos
Votes: 617
4. Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005)
99 min | Adventure, Drama
A road movie about a German man who went to the Northeast of Brazil in 1942 to sell Aspirin.
Director: Marcelo Gomes | Stars: João Miguel, Peter Ketnath, Madalena Accioly, Jeane Alves
Votes: 3,047
5. The Foreign Eye (2006)
70 min | Documentary
Fantasies and clichés about Brazil and Brazilians as reinforced by international films, even those actually shot in Brazil. This documentary features interviews with non-Brazilian directors... See full summary »
Director: Lúcia Murat | Stars: Philippe de Broca, Michael Caine, Philippe Clair, Greydon Clark
Votes: 200
6. Árido Movie (2005)
100 min | Drama
Weatherman from a TV network goes back to his hometown, Vale da Rocha, a place in Northeast Brazil, devastated by the drought. He is forced to face the geographic elements and his own memories.
Director: Lírio Ferreira | Stars: Guilherme Weber, Giulia Gam, José Dumont, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos
Votes: 568
7. Behind the Sun (2001)
PG-13 | 105 min | Drama
When ordered by his father to avenge the death of his older brother, a young man questions the tradition of violence between two rival families.
Director: Walter Salles | Stars: José Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro, Rita Assemany, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos
Votes: 7,398 | Gross: $0.06M
8. Mutum (2007)
95 min | Drama
Thiago lives with his family on an isolated farm in the arid backlands of Minas Gerais, Brazil. As the story unfolds and Thiago is forced to confront separations and betrayal within the ... See full summary »
Director: Sandra Kogut | Stars: Thiago da Silva Mariz, Wallison Felipe Leal Barroso, Maria Juliana Souza de Oliveira, Brenda Luana Rodrigues Lima
Votes: 564
9. The Trespasser (2001)
97 min | Drama, Thriller
Two businessmen hire a hitman to kill their third partner and are then blackmailed by the hitman as he takes over their company.
Director: Beto Brant | Stars: Marco Ricca, Alexandre Borges, Paulo Miklos, Mariana Ximenes
Votes: 1,857
10. Barren Lives (1963)
Not Rated | 103 min | Drama
A poor family in the Northeast of Brazil (Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; their 2 children and a dog called Baleia) wander about the barren land searching for a better place... See full summary »
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Átila Iório, Maria Ribeiro, Orlando Macedo, Jofre Soares
Votes: 2,905
11. Central Station (1998)
R | 110 min | Drama
The emotive journey of a former schoolteacher who writes letters for illiterate people, and a young boy whose mother has just died, as they search for the father he never knew.
Director: Walter Salles | Stars: Fernanda Montenegro, Vinícius de Oliveira, Marília Pêra, Soia Lira
Votes: 42,260 | Gross: $5.60M
12. Amarelo Manga (2002)
TV-MA | 103 min | Drama
Short stories revolving around a bar and a hotel in Recife, unveil a mosaic of exotic characters living in the Brazilian underground.
Director: Cláudio Assis | Stars: Matheus Nachtergaele, Jonas Bloch, Leona Cavalli, Dira Paes
Votes: 2,440
13. Lisbela and the Prisoner (2003)
106 min | Comedy, Romance
This is the fun story of the mischievous, adventurous and conquering Leléu and the dreamy Lisbela, who loves watching American movies and dreams of movie heroes.
Director: Guel Arraes | Stars: André Mattos, Aramis Trindade, Bruno Garcia, Carlos Casagrande
Votes: 6,979
14. Baixio das Bestas (2006)
80 min | Drama, Horror
A man gets obsessed by a teenage girl, who is exploited by her own grandfather, who sometimes takes her to a gas station to show her naked to whomever pays him some money.
Director: Cláudio Assis | Stars: Fernando Teixeira, Caio Blat, Matheus Nachtergaele, Dira Paes
Votes: 1,267
15. The Given Word (1962)
98 min | Drama
A simple yet devout Christian makes a vow to Saint Barbara after she saves his donkey, but everyone he meets seems determined to misunderstand his intentions. Will he be able to keep his promise in the end?
Director: Anselmo Duarte | Stars: Leonardo Villar, Glória Menezes, Dionísio Azevedo, Geraldo Del Rey
Votes: 3,929
16. Embodiment of Evil (2008)
Not Rated | 94 min | Horror
The gravedigger Zé do Caixão continues his search for the perfect woman to bear his son.
Director: José Mojica Marins | Stars: José Mojica Marins, Jece Valadão, Adriano Stuart, Milhem Cortaz
Votes: 1,798
17. Today Is Maria's Day (2005)
Drama, Fantasy, Musical
Running away from her abusive father, a brave, bold little girl goes on a journey of magic and fantasy, lured by a demonic trickster.
Stars: Letícia Sabatella, Rodrigo Santoro, Osmar Prado, Daniel de Oliveira
Votes: 384
18. City of God (2002)
R | 130 min | Crime, Drama
In the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.
Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund | Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele, Phellipe Haagensen
Votes: 799,963 | Gross: $7.56M
19. A Pedra do Reino (2007– )
228 min | Drama, Fantasy, History
The Brazilian back lands. Quaderna, an old clown and bard, narrates, from his cart in the middle of the street, the History of his Family, a bloody saga of Kings, Bandits, Mystics and ... See full summary »
Stars: Pedro Henrique, Irandhir Santos, Marcelia Cartaxo, Mayana Neiva
Votes: 67
20. O Cheiro do Ralo (2006)
Not Rated | 112 min | Comedy, Drama
A pawn shop proprietor buys used goods from desperate locals--as much to play perverse power games as for his own livelihood, but when the perfect rump and a backed-up toilet enter his life, he loses all control.
Director: Heitor Dhalia | Stars: Selton Mello, Paula Braun, Paulo Alves, Suzana Alves
Votes: 5,508
21. Big Family (2001–2014)
30 min | Comedy
Sitcom about a dysfunctional but loving average Brazilian family.
Stars: Lúcio Mauro Filho, Guta Stresser, Marieta Severo, Marco Nanini
Votes: 1,555
22. Deus é Brasileiro (2003)
110 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
God is getting tired. So he looks for a saint to take his place for a while.
Director: Carlos Diegues | Stars: Antônio Fagundes, Wagner Moura, Paloma Duarte, Bruce Gomlevsky
Votes: 2,528
23. Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976)
R | 110 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
In a small city of Brazil, a woman named Flor marries a man named Vadinho, but once married she finds that he is a good-for-nothing. She works teaching cooking and he takes all of her money... See full summary »
Director: Bruno Barreto | Stars: Sonia Braga, José Wilker, Mauro Mendonça, Dinorah Brillanti
Votes: 3,314
24. Massacre in Dinosaur Valley (1985)
Unrated | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Horror
A small plane carrying fossil hunters crashes in the Amazon jungle, and the survivors must battle their way through cannibals, wild animals, and slave traders.
Director: Michele Massimo Tarantini | Stars: Michael Sopkiw, Suzane Carvalho, Milton Rodríguez, Marta Anderson
Votes: 2,413
25. Elite Squad (2007)
R | 115 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.
Director: José Padilha | Stars: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira, Milhem Cortaz
Votes: 110,079 | Gross: $0.01M
26. O Caminho das Nuvens (2003)
Not Rated | 85 min | Drama, Romance
A man and his family travel 3200km (1984 miles) by bicycle, from the State of Paraíba to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in search of a job.
Director: Vicente Amorim | Stars: Wagner Moura, Cláudia Abreu, Ravi Ramos Lacerda, Manoel Sebastião Alves Filho
Votes: 1,214
27. The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2006)
PG | 110 min | Drama
A boy is left alone in a Jewish neighborhood in 1970, when the World Cup coincides with political crackdowns by the military dictatorship.
Director: Cao Hamburger | Stars: Michel Joelsas, Germano Haiut, Daniela Piepszyk, Paulo Autran
Votes: 6,653 | Gross: $0.76M
28. The Man Who Copied (2003)
R | 124 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A Brazilian photocopier operator falls in love with a girl who lives in an opposite house and spends his evenings looking at her through his binoculars.
Director: Jorge Furtado | Stars: Lázaro Ramos, Leandra Leal, Luana Piovani, Pedro Cardoso
Votes: 11,227 | Gross: $0.02M
29. Pixote (1980)
TV-MA | 128 min | Crime, Drama
The life of a boy on the streets of Sao Paulo, involved with crimes, prostitution, and drugs.
Director: Hector Babenco | Stars: Fernando Ramos da Silva, Jorge Julião, Gilberto Moura, Edilson Lino
Votes: 9,212
30. Who Killed Pixote? (1996)
116 min | Biography, Drama
Based on the true story of Fernando Ramos da Silva, actor of Hector Babenco's Pixote (1980).
Director: José Joffily | Stars: Cassiano Carneiro, Luciana Rigueira, Joana Fomm, Tuca Andrada
Votes: 400
31. Tolerance (2000)
100 min | Drama, Thriller
Director: Carlos Gerbase | Stars: Maitê Proença, Roberto Bomtempo, Ana Maria Mainieri, Maria Ribeiro
Votes: 512
32. Bicho de Sete Cabeças (2000)
74 min | Drama
A trip to the mental institution hell. This odyssey is lived by Neto, a middle class teenager, who lives a normal life until his father sends him to a mental institution after finding drugs... See full summary »
Director: Laís Bodanzky | Stars: Rodrigo Santoro, Othon Bastos, Cássia Kis, Dani Nefussi
Votes: 6,351
33. Não Por Acaso (2007)
90 min | Drama
Three control freaks lose the people they love.
Director: Philippe Barcinski | Stars: Rodrigo Santoro, Leonardo Medeiros, Letícia Sabatella, Branca Messina
Votes: 805
34. The Bandit (1953)
Approved | 91 min | Action, Drama, History
'Capitão', a bandit, terrorizes poor villages in the Northeast region of Brazil, looting and frequently killing with his armed gang, until he kidnaps and becomes attracted to a beautiful schoolteacher, creating discord in his group.
Director: Lima Barreto | Stars: Alberto Ruschel, Marisa Prado, Milton Ribeiro, Vanja Orico
Votes: 704
35. Entranced Earth (1967)
111 min | Drama
In the fictional Latin American country Eldorado, a poet tries to effect political change by influencing powerful men.
Director: Glauber Rocha | Stars: Jardel Filho, Paulo Autran, José Lewgoy, Glauce Rocha
Votes: 3,574
36. Zuzu Angel (2006)
108 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on the true story of Zuzu Angel, a famous Brazilian fashion designer in the 70's, who searches for her son Stuart, a member of a leftist university group who suddenly disappears ... See full summary »
Director: Sergio Rezende | Stars: Patricia Pillar, Daniel de Oliveira, Leandra Leal, Alexandre Borges
Votes: 1,046
37. At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (1964)
84 min | Horror
A gravedigger prowls the city in search of a female to bear him a son.
Director: José Mojica Marins | Stars: José Mojica Marins, Magda Mei, Nivaldo Lima, Valéria Vasquez
Votes: 3,847
38. O Homem que Virou Suco (1980)
97 min | Drama
São Paulo police mistakenly thinks a folk poet and singer is the same man who had stabbed his boss.
Director: João Batista de Andrade | Stars: José Dumont, Aldo Bueno, Rafael de Carvalho, Ruthinéa de Moraes
Votes: 392
39. Maids (2001)
Not Rated | 85 min | Comedy, Drama
Five maids in São Paulo are observed in this episodic, impressionistic film. The women interact with each other, ride busses, work, and have longings: Rai for a husband, Créo for her lost ... See full summary »
Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Nando Olival | Stars: Cláudia Missura, Graziella Moretto, Lena Roque, Olivia Araújo
Votes: 1,362
40. Estômago (2007)
113 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
In the great restaurant of life, there are those who eat and those who get eaten. Raimundo Nonato finds an alternative way, a life of his own: he cooks in order to survive and find a place ... See full summary »
Director: Marcos Jorge | Stars: João Miguel, Fabiula Nascimento, Babu Santana, Carlo Briani
Votes: 8,111
41. They Don't Wear Black Tie (1981)
120 min | Drama
Union leader's son doesn't want to engage in a strike, because his wife is pregnant, thus disregarding his father's tradition of political activism.
Director: Leon Hirszman | Stars: Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, Fernanda Montenegro, Carlos Alberto Riccelli, Bete Mendes
Votes: 1,818
42. To the Left of the Father (2001)
Not Rated | 163 min | Drama
A young son who ran from his dominant family descends into decadence, then returns to the nest. Tyrannical fathers, incest, fierce family conflicts, and an intense visual style to match.
Director: Luiz Fernando Carvalho | Stars: Selton Mello, Raul Cortez, Juliana Carneiro da Cunha, Simone Spoladore
Votes: 2,035
43. Love for Sale (2006)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama
In order to get funds, a young woman living in the Northeast of Brazil decides to raffle her own body.
Director: Karim Aïnouz | Stars: Hermila Guedes, Maria Menezes, Zezita Matos, João Miguel
Votes: 2,096 | Gross: $0.01M
44. All Nudity Shall Be Punished (1973)
102 min | Drama
Rich, spoiled youngman encounters a prostitute, and gets confused about the nature of his feelings for her; he can't decide between attraction, and repulsion.
Director: Arnaldo Jabor | Stars: Paulo Porto, Darlene Glória, Elza Gomes, Paulo César Peréio
Votes: 630
45. O Coronel e o Lobisomem (1979)
110 min | Adventure
Director: Alcino Diniz | Stars: Maurício do Valle, Maria Cláudia, Cléa Simões, Jofre Soares
Votes: 26
46. O Homem de Areia (1981)
116 min | Documentary
Documentary about José Américo de Almeida, aka "The Patriarch of Democracy", interventor in the State of Paraíba while Getúlio Vargas was President of Brazil and the events of the Revolution of 1930.
Director: Vladimir Carvalho | Stars: Jorge Amado, José Américo de Almeida, Mário Lago, Fernanda Montenegro
Votes: 12
47. Noites do Sertão (1984)
100 min | Drama
Lalinha, after being abandoned by her husband, seeks comfort in her farm. There, she discovers a new world.
Director: Carlos Alberto Prates Correia | Stars: Cristina Aché, Débora Bloch, Carlos Kroeber, Carlos Wilson
Votes: 71
48. Sweet Power (1997)
102 min | Comedy, Drama
A journalist is placed upon the management of a large broadcasting company to the capital of Brazil at the time of local elections. She must now face ideological and ethical questions, ... See full summary »
Director: Lúcia Murat | Stars: Marisa Orth, Antônio Fagundes, José de Abreu, Otávio Augusto
Votes: 151
49. Black God, White Devil (1964)
Not Rated | 120 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama
After killing his employer when he tries to cheat him out of his payment, a man becomes an outlaw and starts following a self-proclaimed saint.
Director: Glauber Rocha | Stars: Geraldo Del Rey, Yoná Magalhães, Othon Bastos, Maurício do Valle
Votes: 5,339
50. The Age of the Earth (1980)
157 min | Drama, Fantasy, History
Four Third-World Christs try to stop the American industrialist John Brahms in Glauber Rocha's experimental film inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini's murder.
Director: Glauber Rocha | Stars: Maurício do Valle, Jece Valadão, Antonio Pitanga, Tarcísio Meira
Votes: 674
51. Meu Nome Não é Johnny (2008)
124 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The true story of João Guilherme Estrella ("Johnny"), a young middle-class bon vivant who became a big-time cocaine dealer in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1990s.
Director: Mauro Lima | Stars: Selton Mello, Giulio Lopes, Júlia Lemmertz, Felipe Severo
Votes: 7,831
52. Macunaima (1969)
Not Rated | 95 min | Fantasy, Comedy
Our story begins with Macunaima's miraculous birth to an old woman in a tiny jungle settlement. Born fully grown, he discovers his life's purpose which leads him and his family and ... See full summary »
Director: Joaquim Pedro de Andrade | Stars: Grande Otelo, Paulo José, Jardel Filho, Dina Sfat
Votes: 2,087
53. How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1971)
Not Rated | 84 min | Adventure, Comedy
In 1594 in Brazil, the Tupinambás Indians are friends of the French and their enemies are the Tupiniquins, friends of the Portuguese. A Frenchman (Arduíno Colassanti) is captured by the ... See full summary »
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Arduíno Colassanti, Ana Maria Magalhães, Eduardo Imbassahy Filho, Manfredo Colassanti
Votes: 1,172
54. A Morte Comanda o Cangaço (1960)
100 min | Action, Western
A man's farm is attacked and his mother gets killed. Looking for revenge, he goes about chasing the men who killed her.
Directors: Carlos Coimbra, Walter Guimares Motta | Stars: Alberto Ruschel, Aurora Duarte, Milton Ribeiro, Maria Augusta Costa Leite
Votes: 69
55. Me You Them (2000)
PG-13 | 104 min | Comedy, Drama
A true story that comically depicts the relationship between an ordinary woman and her three husbands, who live in the same house in a poor and arid small village of the Brazilian northeast.
Director: Andrucha Waddington | Stars: Regina Casé, Lima Duarte, Stênio Garcia, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos
Votes: 1,869 | Gross: $0.32M
56. Fogo morto (1976)
88 min | Drama
In 1910, in the State of Paraíba, Brazil, a man is expelled from his own land by the ruthless colonel who owns the sugar mill. He asks some outlaws to help him retrieve his land.
Director: Marcos Farias | Stars: Jofre Soares, Othon Bastos, Rafael de Carvalho, Rodolfo Arena
Votes: 36
57. O Engenho de Zé Lins (2007)
80 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary on the life and work of José Lins do Rego (1901-1957), one of Brazil's greatest 20th century literary authors, writer of celebrated novels "Menino de Engenho", "Fogo Morto", "Moleque Ricardo", "Riacho Doce" and many more.
Director: Vladimir Carvalho | Stars: Rodolfo Arena, Affonso Arinos, Othon Bastos, Vladimir Carvalho
Votes: 18
58. Capitu (2008)
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Based on the famous Brazilian novel Dom Casmurro by Machado De Assis, Capitu was a miniseries that gave a more theatrical look at the book's history, focusing on the insane mind of Bento Santiago and his love/hate relationship with Capitu.
Stars: Michel Melamed, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Letícia Persiles, César Cardadeiro
Votes: 437
59. Lampiao, King of the Badlands (1964)
100 min | Action, Adventure, Western
The story of Virgulino, the famous Lampião, who led a bunch of cangaceiros (as his followers were called) through the Northeast of Brazil, and became respected by poor local people, for his sense of immediate justice.
Director: Carlos Coimbra | Stars: Leonardo Villar, Vanja Orico, Milton Ribeiro, Dionísio Azevedo
Votes: 64
60. O Homem Que Desafiou o Diabo (2007)
106 min | Comedy, Fantasy
After being forced into a marriage and enduring a humiliating work routine in the hands of his father-in-law, Zé Araújo becomes the mythical Ojuara, an unconventional hero devoted to debauchery.
Director: Moacyr Góes | Stars: Marcos Palmeira, Flávia Alessandra, Lívia Falcão, Fernanda Paes Leme
Votes: 1,007
61. Memórias do Cárcere (1984)
185 min | Drama
Graciliano Ramos' period he spent in prison after being considered a subversive element by the government.
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Carlos Vereza, Glória Pires, Nildo Parente, José Dumont
Votes: 509
62. Plantation Boy (1965)
90 min | Drama
In Brazil in the 1920s, boy is sent to live with some parents in a sugarcane plantation, after losing his mother. His adaptation will be difficult and painful.
Director: Walter Lima Jr. | Stars: Geraldo Del Rey, Sávio Rolim, Rodolfo Arena, Anecy Rocha
Votes: 97
63. Morte e Vida Severina (1977)
85 min | Drama
The story of Severino, a man who tries to escape the misery and the drought prevailing in the rural backcountry of the Northeast of Brazil. He heads for Recife, passing through desert and forest regions, expecting to find a better life.
Director: Zelito Viana | Stars: Tânia Alves, José Dumont, Stênio Garcia, Luiz Mendonça
Votes: 89
64. O País de São Saruê (1971)
80 min | Documentary
Documentary about a region in Northeast Brazil, situated in an area subject to severe drought, and the evolution of its economic activities.
Director: Vladimir Carvalho | Stars: Paulo Pontes, Echio Reis
Votes: 91
65. O Quinze (2004)
107 min | Drama
1915, backcountry in northeastern Brazil. A severe drought has decimated much of the local population. A young teacher, who works in the capital, spends holidays on the farm of her grandmother, and becomes involved with her cousin.
Director: Jurandir de Oliveira | Stars: Karina Barum, Juan Alba, Jurandir de Oliveira, Soia Lira
Votes: 44
66. The Guns (1964)
80 min | Drama
In an extremely poor region in the Northeast of Brazil, a group of soldiers try to stop the population from sacking a food deposit.
Director: Ruy Guerra | Stars: Átila Iório, Nelson Xavier, Maria Gladys, Leonidas Bayer
Votes: 734
67. Sagarana, o Duelo (1974)
110 min | Adventure
In Northeast Brazil, after carrying out some comissioned killing, hitman returns home to find his wife involved with a man who is a hitman hunter. A conflict ensues.
Director: Paulo Thiago | Stars: Joel Barcellos, Milton Moraes, Ítala Nandi, Rodolfo Arena
Votes: 48
68. São Bernardo (1972)
113 min | Drama
The story of Paulo Honório, a poor kid who becomes a rich farmer. Obsessed by his desire to get even richer, he doesn't pay much attention to his wife, Madalena, a teacher who reacts against his tyrannical ways.
Director: Leon Hirszman | Stars: Othon Bastos, Isabel Ribeiro, Nildo Parente, Vanda Lacerda
Votes: 511
69. Seara Vermelha (1963)
113 min | Drama
Director: Alberto D'Aversa | Stars: Maria Adélia, Ivanilde Alves, Marilda Alves, Marisa Andrade
Votes: 6
70. Terra Sem Deus (1963)
78 min | Drama
Director: José Carlos Burle | Stars: Onildo Almeida, Aguinaldo Batista, Alberico Bruno, José Carlos Burle
71. Vereda de Salvação (1965)
100 min | Drama
In the poor Brazil's Northeast, rural laborers join in a messianic group led by Joaquim, who believes to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Gaining power over the peasants, he begins to ... See full summary »
Director: Anselmo Duarte | Stars: Raul Cortez, José Parisi, Lélia Abramo, Esther Mellinger
Votes: 75
72. Simon the One-Eyed (1952)
101 min | Comedy
Director: Alberto Cavalcanti | Stars: Mesquitinha, Yara Aguiar, Rachel Martins, Carlos Araújo
Votes: 63
73. Song of the Sea (1953)
124 min | Drama
In the drought areas of Northeastern of Brazil, groups of migrants move trying to find better place to live, at least with water. Some of them go to Recife, to get a vessel to Santos ... See full summary »
Director: Alberto Cavalcanti | Stars: Margarida Cardoso, Cacilda Lanuza, Ruy Saraiva, Aurora Duarte
Votes: 130
74. Grande Sertão: Veredas (1985)
Western
A cowboy narrates his 'jagunço' life of disputes, revenges, loves and deaths, through the years that he traveled central-east Brazil, in the first decades of the 20th century, while federal troops were in conflict with provincial forces.
Stars: Tony Ramos, Bruna Lombardi, Tarcísio Meira, Rubens de Falco
Votes: 96
75. Canudos (1978)
78 min | Documentary
Documentary about the Brazilian history episode known as "Guerra de Canudos" (Canudos War). It was a revolt leaded by Antônio Conselheiro in the region called "Canudos" in the backwoods of ... See full summary »
Director: Ipojuca Pontes | Star: Walmor Chagas
Votes: 12
76. Hour of the Star (1985)
Not Rated | 96 min | Drama
Macabea has just moved to the big city after her aunt, who raised her, died. She gets a job as a typist and moves into a boarding house with three other women. In her spare time she listens... See full summary »
Director: Suzana Amaral | Stars: Marcelia Cartaxo, José Dumont, Tamara Taxman, Fernanda Montenegro
Votes: 1,435
77. O Homem Nu (1997)
78 min | Comedy
A man locked out of his apartment in the nude is pursued by the police and by the media.
Director: Hugo Carvana | Stars: Claudio Marzo, Lúcia Veríssimo, Daniel Dantas, Isabel Fillardis
Votes: 325
78. Ed Mort (1997)
102 min | Comedy
A detective is hired by a mysterious woman to find her missing husband, a master of disguises, and important industry executive.
Director: Alain Fresnot | Stars: Paulo Betti, Cláudia Abreu, Otávio Augusto, Ary Fontoura
Votes: 297
79. Nos Embalos de Ipanema (1978)
100 min | Comedy, Drama
Toquinho is a young man living in Marechal Hermes, a poor neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, together with his widow mother and a younger sister. Although he is poor, he is also ambitious, and... See full summary »
Director: Antônio Calmon | Stars: André de Biase, Angelina Muniz, Zaira Zambelli, Paulo Villaça
Votes: 99
80. Lamarca (1994)
130 min | Action, Biography, Drama
The real story of a captain who, during the military dictatorship in Brazil, deserted Brazilian Army and got involved in left-wing guerilla groups, becoming one of their most prominent leaders.
Director: Sergio Rezende | Stars: Paulo Betti, Carla Camurati, José de Abreu, Deborah Evelyn
Votes: 445
81. O Menino da Porteira (1976)
100 min
Director: Jeremias Moreira Filho | Stars: Sérgio Reis, Maria Viana, Jorge Karan, David Neto
Votes: 43
82. Bellini e a Esfinge (2002)
120 min | Crime
An apparently simple adultery case turns into an intricate and suspense-filled plot composed of numerous twists and turns, with a surprising ending. Dr. Rafidjian, a renowned physician, ... See full summary »
Director: Roberto Santucci | Stars: Fábio Assunção, Malu Mader, Maristane Dresch, Eliana Guttman
Votes: 338
83. Narradores de Javé (2003)
100 min | Drama
The illiterate population of the small town of Javé charge Antônio Biá with the mission of writing the story of the town, in an attempt to stop the construction of a hydropower dam that ... See full summary »
Director: Eliane Caffé | Stars: José Dumont, Nelson Xavier, Matheus Nachtergaele, Rui Resende
Votes: 846
84. Lower City (2005)
R | 98 min | Drama
Lifelong friends Deco and Naldinho, who own a small steaming boat in Bahia, meet strip-dancer Karinna. Both men fall for her and their friendship is deeply shattered.
Director: Sergio Machado | Stars: Alice Braga, Wagner Moura, Lázaro Ramos, Maria Menezes
Votes: 4,363 | Gross: $0.13M
85. Os Trapalhões na Serra Pelada (1982)
88 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
The friends Curió, Boroca (Dedé Santana), Mexelete and Bateia they venture in search of gold in the mine of Serra Pelada. The area is controlled by the foreigner Von Bermann, whose orders ... See full summary »
Director: J.B. Tanko | Stars: Renato Aragão, Dedé Santana, Mussum, Zacarias
Votes: 326
86. The Man in the Black Cape (1986)
120 min | Biography, Crime
Biography of Brazilian congressman Tenório Cavalcanti, who used to appear in public carrying a machine-gun, and wearing a black cloak.
Director: Sergio Rezende | Stars: José Wilker, Marieta Severo, Jonas Bloch, Isolda Cresta
Votes: 318
87. Go Ahead, Brazil! (1982)
105 min | Crime, Drama
This movie is about one of the worst periods for the Brazilian people. Shows the days of military dictatorship when the Brazilian people against the government were put in jails, tortured, ... See full summary »
Director: Roberto Farias | Stars: Reginaldo Faria, Carlos Zara, Antônio Fagundes, Natália do Vale
Votes: 523
88. The Red Light Bandit (1968)
92 min | Crime, Thriller
The story of a famous Brazilian criminal, called The Red Light Bandit because he always used a red flashlight to break in the houses during the night. Working alone, he also used to rape his female victims.
Director: Rogério Sganzerla | Stars: Helena Ignez, Paulo Villaça, Pagano Sobrinho, Luiz Linhares
Votes: 1,678
89. Olho de Boi (2007)
72 min | Drama
A farm laborer is stunned for pain and for the jealousy when its godson assures to it that his wife is betraying with the proper brother. Both they go in revenge search, following for a tragic destination.
Director: Hermanno Penna | Stars: Genésio de Barros, Gustavo Machado, Angelina Muniz, Cacá Amaral
Votes: 26
90. The Battle of Canudos (1997)
170 min | Drama, History, War
The drama of a poor family in the bloodiest war in the History of Brazil: the war of Canudos.
Director: Sergio Rezende | Stars: José Wilker, Cláudia Abreu, Paulo Betti, Marieta Severo
Votes: 794
91. Memorial de Maria Moura (1994– )
45 min | Romance
Stars: Glória Pires, Marcos Palmeira, Cristiana Oliveira, Cleo
Votes: 74
92. Viajo Porque Preciso, Volto Porque te Amo (2009)
Not Rated | 75 min | Drama
A geologist is sent to an isolated region in the Northeast of Brazil to survey water sources, but begins to feel a a sense of abandonment and loneliness.
Directors: Karim Aïnouz, Marcelo Gomes | Star: Irandhir Santos
Votes: 1,178
93. Mandacaru Vermelho (1961)
78 min | Drama, Western
Despite being promised to another man, a young orphaned woman falls in love with man working at the farm she lives in , and together they escape. According tradition in Northeast Brazil, her aunt goes after them, in order to kill them for revenge.
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Mozart Cintra, Ivan De Souza, Luiz Paulino Dos Santos, João Duarte
Votes: 84
94. Olé: Um Movie Cabra da Peste (2000)
94 min | Comedy
A Brazilian man comes to Los Angeles in search of his sister. His quest leads him into a world of LA lowlifes, bumbling, small time crooks, a happy homeless person, a lonely prositute, the Mexican mafia, and "El Matador"!
Director: Roberto Santucci | Stars: Anisabel Agnelli, Gino Battaglia, Anthony Cordova, Ana Guzman
Votes: 20
95. Outras Estórias (1999)
100 min | Drama
Five stories by Brazilian writer Guimarães Rosa: in the hinterland of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a man fears for his life after having killed one of the dire Brothers Dagobé, ... See full summary »
Director: Pedro Bial | Stars: Teuda Bara, Márcia Bechara, Sílvia Buarque, Antonio Calloni
Votes: 114
96. Carandiru (2003)
R | 145 min | Crime, Drama
Stories of crime, revenge, love, and friendship at the Carandiru Penitentiary, the largest prison in Latin America.
Director: Hector Babenco | Stars: Enrique Diaz, Wagner Moura, Caio Blat, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos
Votes: 21,881 | Gross: $0.21M
97. Uma Onda No Ar (2002)
92 min | Drama
Based on the true story of four friends who decide to install a communal pirate radio station called Rádio Favela in a shanty-town, to give voice to the outcasts' complaints.
Director: Helvecio Ratton | Stars: Alexandre Moreno, Babu Santana, Adolfo Moura, Benjamim Abras
Votes: 305
98. Durval Discos (2002)
Not Rated | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Durval and his mother Carmita live at the back of "Durval Discos", a record store they own in São Paulo, specializing in vinyl records. They lead a boring and unattractive life, until the ... See full summary »
Director: Anna Muylaert | Stars: Ary França, Etty Fraser, Isabela Guasco, Marisa Orth
Votes: 1,264
99. 5 x Favela, Now by Ourselves (2010)
96 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Based on his segment Escola de Samba Alegria de Viver from 1962 in a film called Cinco Vezes Favela.
Directors: Cacau Amaral, Cadu Barcellos, Luciana Bezerra, Manaira Carneiro, Rodrigo Felha, Wagner Novais, Luciano Vidigal | Stars: Vilson Almeida, João Carlos Artigos, Flavio Bauraqui, Zózimo Bulbul
Votes: 289
100. Bus 174 (2002)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Crime
On June 12, 2000, a young man with a gun took the passengers aboard Bus 174 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hostage. This documentary examines the event itself, the resulting media frenzy, the police response, and the perpetrator's background.
Directors: José Padilha, Felipe Lacerda | Stars: Sandro do Nascimento, Rodrigo Pimentel, Luiz Eduardo Soares, Anonymous
Votes: 8,607 | Gross: $0.22M
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