Antônia

Infobox Film
name = Antônia


image_size =
caption = Theatrical movie poster
director =Tata Amaral
producer =Tata Amaral
Geórgia Costa Araújo
Guel Arraes (associate)
Andrea Barata Ribeiro (co-producer)
Bel Berlinck (co-producer)
Fernando Meirelles (co-producer)
Moa Ramalho (executive)
writer =Tata Amaral
Roberto Moreira
narrator =
starring =Negra Li
Cindy Mendes
Leilah Moreno
Jacqueline Simão
Sandra de Sá
music =Beto Villares
cinematography =Jacob Solitrenick
editing =Idê Lacreta
distributor =Globo Filmes
released =September 8 2006 (Toronto Film Festival)
February 9 2007 (Brazil)
runtime = 90 minutes
country =flagicon|Brazil Brazil
language =Portuguese
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =http://www.antonia-ofilme.com.br/
amg_id =
imdb_id =0492869

"Antônia" is a 2006 dramatic Brazilian musical film which tells the story of Antônia, an Afro-Brazilian hip-hop girl group formed by four young women living on a "favela" of São Paulo. On their way to the mainstream success, they have to face with the violence near their homes and the "machismo" of the musical business. The film was directed by Tata Amaral and stars Negra Li, Cindy Mendes, Leilah Moreno and Jacqueline Simão as the members of the group.

The film had its European premiere January 26, 2007 at the 36th Rotterdam International Film Festival, in the section "Cinema of the World: Time & Tide". It was released commercially in the United States on September 21, 2007, in New York City, New York; Newark, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.

The movie, spun off from a 2006 short by Amaral, in turn spun off a television series from 02 Filmes and TV Globo in the filmmaker's native Brazil, starring the same actors in the same roles. [http://www.boxoffice.com/moviedetail.aspx?movieid=5118 "Box Office" (Sept. 21, 2007): Review by Tim Cogshell] ]

Plot

On Vila Brasilândia, a "favela" (shanty town) of São Paulo, four Afro-Brazilian girls battle to fulfill their dream of making a living off their music. Friends since the childhood, Preta (Negra Li), Bárbarah (Leilah Moreno), Mayah (Jaqueline Simão, as Quelnyah) and Lena (Cindy Mendes, a.k.a. Maria Madalena, as Cindy) quit singing the backing vocals for a male rap group and form Antônia, their own group. Discovered by the clever manager Marcelo Diamante (Thaíde), they begin to sing rap, MPB, pop and soul in bars and in middle-class parties.

But just when their dream seems to becoming true, their hopes are dashed by daily events, such as poverty, male oppression, and violence, which threaten the group and place their friendship in jeopardy. When Mayah flirts with Preta's estranged husband Hermano (Fernando Macário), Preta forces Mayah out of the group and raises her small daughter Emília (Nathalye Cris) by herself with the help of her parents. A newly pregnant Lena quits the group after her boyfriend puts pressure on her to do so. And Barbarah, who has studied martial arts, is imprisoned for manslaughter after accidentally killing the threatening young man responsible for a gang attack on her brother Duda (Chico Santo) and his boyfriend, the latter of whom is killed. The four girls endure to piece the group back together.

Reception

The film scored a 93% positive rating at the film critic aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. "The New York Times" wrote that the film "explores cultural and sexual oppression with sensitivity and verve. The story may lack complexity, but it is loaded with irrepressible energy and a deep appreciation of female friendship". [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/movies/21anto.html "The New York Times" (Sept. 21, 2007): Review by Jeannette Catsoulis] ] "Variety" called it, "less a candy-coated inspirational pill and more a piece of solid dramatic fiction". [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117931547.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 "Variety" (Sept. 11, 2006): Review by Robert Koehler] ]

Cast

The cast includes real-life Brazilian rap singers Negra Li and Thaide; black-music singer Leilah Moreno; actress, MC, and free style rapper Cindy, and rapper-dancer Quelynah. Appearing in one scene each, as Preta's parents, are Sandra de Sá, "the leading lady of Brazilian funk", and Thobias da Vai-Vai, a leading samba performer.

*Preta - Negra Li
*Lena - Cindy Mendes, a.k.a. Maria Madalena (as Cindy)
*Barbarah - Leilah Moreno
*Mayah - Jaqueline Simão (as Quelynah)
*Dante - Marcus Vinicius Kamau
*DJ Anjo - DJ Negro Rico
*DJ Cocão - DJ Hadji
*Marcelo Diamante - Thaíde
*Apresentador show - Adielson Bonam
*Hermano - Fernando Macário
*Eduardo "Duda" de Souza - Chico Santo
*JP - Maionezi
*Robinho - Ezequiel Da Silva
*Emília - Nathalye Cris
*Grupo Black Gero - Black Gero, Bira Black, DJ Celo
*M.C. Brasilândia - Max B.O.
*Z'Africa Brasil - M.C. Gaspar, Fernandinho Beat Box, Funk Buia, Dj Tano, Pitcho
*Coral Evangélico - Paola Lúcio, Carmelita Moren, Creuza Vangelista, André Mota, Nestor, Paixão De Jesus, Patrick Rocha
*Mãe De Preta - Sandra de Sá
*Pai De Preta - Thobias da Vai-Vai
*Barão - Barão H.C.
*Hot-Dog vendor- Luana A-T.A.L.
*Noivo - Júlio Machado
*Roberta - Odara Carvalho
*Doctor - Cláudio Galperin
*Musician – Silveira
*Zé - Valnei Damacena
*Talarico - Hébano
*Taxi Driver - Zenóbio Fernandes

Crew

*Director - Tata Amaral
*Screenwriters Roberto Moreira And Tata Amaral
*Producers - Geórgia Costa Araújo, Tata Amaral
*Co-producers - Andrea Barata Ribeiro, Bel Berlinck, Fernando Meirelles
*Associate producer - Guel Arraes
*Line producers - Geórgia Costa Araújo, Moa Ramalho
*Music Beto Villares And Parteum
*Cinematophaphy - Jacob Sarmento Solitrenick
*Sound mixer - João Godoy
*Sound designer - Eduardo Santos Mendes
*Editor - Idê Lacreta
*Production designer - Rafael Ronconi

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.antonia-ofilme.com.br/english/index_home.asp Official site] (English)
* [http://www.indiewire.com/people/2007/09/indiewire_inter_107.html IndieWire Interview: "Antonia" Director Tata Amaral (Sept. 19, 2007)]

External links

*
*