A year in the life of a samba school, from the first rehearsals to the parade on the avenue.
Arlindo Maximiano dos Santos
as Narrator (voice)
The Mangueira slum is the scenario where Tantinho and the old samba composers remember stories about the slums and samba.
Documentary about the rise and fall of Leandro de Itaquera Samba School, a cultural organization from São Paulo east end that had a major role during the profissionalization of Carnival competition in the city.
"É o Boi" is a documentary that narrates the origins, portrays the present and discusses the perspectives of carnival in the city of Porto Ferreira/SP. Celebrating a tradition that already is already 90 years old, the film is mainly made up of images taken during the Porto Ferreira's carnival and interviews with people who fight daily to keep this unique and at the same time typically Brazilian cultural manifestation alive. Made over almost a decade, "É o Boi" also portrays critical moments of this carnival in the countryside of São Paulo, including disagreements with public authorities that almost led to the carnival being banned and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the organization of celebrations.
Amid the explosion of colors, sounds, and excesses of Olinda’s 2025 Carnival, Cuceteiras VII: "Cucesniff?" dives into the behind-the-scenes of a house that becomes the epicenter of partying, chaos, and connection. A group of friends shares a roof during the most intense days of the year, living a routine filled with alcohol, drugs, unexpected guests, and catchphrases that go viral among revelers. Between laughter, hangovers, and confessions, the documentary captures the raw intensity of human connection when the masks come off — or multiply. A chaotic, honest, and irreverent chronicle of youth, freedom, and the unmistakable heat of Pernambuco’s carnival.
Discover the captivating origins of an iconic little pickup from the 1960s that was transformed into a 'triozinho' and captured the hearts of countless 'foliões' during Carnaval. Through heartfelt memories, interviews, and breathtaking landscapes, this documentary, directed by Daniel Bittencourt, beautifully reveals how a group of passionate music lovers gave birth to one of Linhares’ most cherished cultural symbols, straight from Vila de Regência.
The making of the samba school parades, with the construction of the great cars, the decorations being spread all over the city and the hand-crafted tailoring of the costumes by apt hands that stitch together colourful and glowing materials.
On the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro during its world famous Carnival, far from the beach and the touristic clichés, there is an explosive contest between neighbourhoods. This old form of carnival features teams of futuristic gladiators that are a surreal mixture of play and menace. A tradition that has its roots in ancient European carnival traditions and in African rituals, they look like visitors from another planet.