The Violin Teacher

Inspirational, insightful, and reaffirming of the critical importance and impact of music, competent teachers, and opportunity on our lives. Word on the street, along with text messages at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2/2016): "This film is in a class by itself; Don't miss it; Get in line early; You'll want to see it again with your teens; Make sure your musician friends see The Violin Teacher -- It's a Must See."

It's earthy, real, moving, and inspirational-- "Very non-Disney, fast moving with in depth character development which made it really good," I overheard a college student say. The storyline, casting, performances, directing and editing are exceptional. Accolades to all.

If I had the financial means, I'd buy a copy for every secondary school in America to show & discuss at assemblies and Parent/ Teacher meetings. This film's impact could improve the seriousness and commitment of students, parents, teachers, donors and communities. (Voters in Santa Barbara passed to impose a special parcel tax on themselves after local high school student volunteers gathered thousands of voter signatures to fund public music programs independently, outside political, school board administrative greed.)

After viewing The Violin Teacher, audiences fully understand the value of providing high quality instruction with performance expectations and discipline demands to students determined to improve their lot in life; and the potential determinants of familial situations that can be overcome. Whether leaving the theater smiling or teary-eyed, The Violin Teacher moved its audience.

Inspired by a true story, the film is a powerful drama, exciting, which is based on the conventions of the genre to make a portrait of the social apartheid rooted in the country, without falling into pessimism, leaving several seeds of hope. Without sweetening the reality, showing the routine struggle for survival, involvement with banditry, director Sérgio Machado, the same director of Lower City, leads a narrative to some familiar spot, with colors and rhythms of Brazil (anyone remember the movie of Maryll Streep Music of the Heart?), packed with classical music, rap, chorinho, alternating scenes at Sala São Paulo and in the Heliopolis slum.

Lázaro Ramos is the conductor of the orchestra and the film, bringing the dramas of boys music students, each with its own peculiarities, which summarize the story of life of the young residents of the region and which are, according to statistics, the biggest victims of this apartheid. Fortunately there are many similar work to what is Baccarelli Institute, teaching art and sport, rescuing self-esteem of these kids, preventing die early.

It's hard to talk about the technical aspects of the film when a production excites us so much, but highlight the genuine speeches of the boys, arising from the shantytown, inserted in their lines naturally, the wonderful soundtrack, photography, well-structured script. The film could further explore the relationship of the boys with their families, but the director chose highlight their relationship with Laerte, the teacher. There was little marketing of this work with an incredible potential for communication with spectator - I think from Two Sons of Francisco does not appear in Brazilian film with so popular footprint, able to thrill even the most skeptical of viewers.

I just arrived back from a very special session of this movie on the 39th Sao Paulo International Exhibition of Cinema. Maybe I should have waited to cool off my head first, but I couldn't. This special sessions was at Sala Sao Paulo, home of the best Latin American orchestra, OSESP, and one of the top ten best concert rooms of the world. To this orchestra and at this place is where the main character, Laerte, wants to join as a violinist in the film. After the movie, Heliopolis Orchestra, the one whose beginning was similar to what is shown at the film, played a short but beautiful concert, and it was unforgettable. As the summary says, after failing the test to enter OSESP, Laerte is forced to give classes to young class in a school in Heliopolis, a very poor outskirts neighborhood which in Brazil we usually call a "favela". The movie was very realistic, to me, who love music as the greatest of the arts and who goes to Sala Sao Paulo to see OSESP playing very often, it was much of a pleasure. But I'm not just that, I'm also someone who was raised in the outskirts of Sao Paulo, and many things which happen in the movie made me remember things that I passed through. But you don't have to have any of these characteristics to love this movie, you just have to love music and believe in it's "power to calm down even the most dangerous beasts", quoting Laerte from a scene. The movie is filled all the time with musical references, but I repeat, if you enjoy music, no matter the style, you will love it, especially the adaptations made of some classics with the "Brazilian way" if you know what I mean. I'm not sure if it was the director of the film or if it was Happin Hood (a rapper who makes some songs to the film and also appears in it), who said that the biggest message of the film was that "talented people can be born anywhere", I agree, but I make an addendum saying that the movie also wanted to say that talent is not everything, you also need OPPORTUNITY to show you talents, and this the film shows very well. In Brazil, on the last 20 years poor people started to have more opportunities of studying and having a good life. I'm myself an example of that. I believe that this message should be sent to the whole world: give equal opportunities to everyone and we will listen, see or enjoy beautiful and amazing things.

It is a beautiful film. this is the lead motif to see it. the story, the performances, the noble message, the translations of the realities from favela. but, in same measure, it has two admirable seed -virtues. first - Lazaro Ramos giving a great portrait of Laerte do Santos. the second -Kaique de Jesus as Samuel. sure, as teacher, I am profound subjective about this film. who could seems too sentimental or too pathetic or unrealistic. but it is perfect tool for send a precise message. a real usefull one. abound changing the other. about dedication. about the right place and about context. about transformation of yourself. about people. and teachers. and the wise way to the succes. so, a small gem.