Luiz Antônio Simas

Tenho Fé

This documentary accompanies the journey of artists who exalt and celebrate ancestry and the orishas in their work. It also offers a manifesto against one of the biggest problems facing Brazil: religious racism. The feature brings together stories from music, theater, fashion, dance and the visual arts to promote reflection on the power and importance of black representation, art and diversity

Elza & Mané: Amor em Linhas Tortas

Clementina

A film about the universe of Clementina de Jesus, singer revealed at the age of 63 as one of the greatest voices in the history of Samba.

Lei da Selva: A História do Jogo do Bicho

The story of how the lottery invented to finance a zoo was incorporated by Rio de Janeiro's popular culture and, in the hands of organized gangsters, transformed itself into an immense crime empire.

Fevereiros

A record on Brazilian samba school Estação Primeira de Mangueira's victory on the 2016 carnaval parade. Mangueira's parade that year was a homage to singer Maria Bethânia. The documentary also follows Bethânia on the celebrations of Our Lady of Purification, in Bahia, northeast of Brazil.

Nosso Sagrado

In the First Republic (1889-1930) as well as in the Vargas Era (1930-1945) the traditional terreiro communities were criminalized, their religious leaders were persecuted and their sacred objects were seized. In Rio de Janeiro, more than 200 objects were seized by the police, and after the end of the official criminalization, they became part of the collection in the Museum of Civil Police. The documentary The Sacred within us deals with the past of persecution towards traditional terreiro communities, the "Black Magic" collection found in the Police Museum, the difficulty of access to the collection by religious, researchers and the population in general, as well as the struggle for to release the sacred objects that have been in the possession of the Civil Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro for 100 years.

A Antifábula do Papai Noel

A documentary suburban fable about the Christmas pretense of state representative Albano Reis, Quintino's Santa Claus.

Macumbaria

The mystical element plays an unusual role in the civilizing process of Brazilian society. Realms such as samba, malandragem, soccer, and Carnival reflect this process, which unfolded in the shadow of the Precarious. On the street, in the terreiro, at the bar, in the favela, at the crossroads, or on the floodplain—a multifaceted historical and cultural identity was forged, resulting from the intersection of Amerindian and African spiritualities and European popular Catholicism. Macumbaria explores the phenomenon of the “macumba complex” through the lens of historian Luiz Antonio Simas, the film’s narrator.

De Cabral a George Floyd: Onde Arde o Fogo Sagrado da Liberdade

Through clippings, the film draws a narrative line between the construction of racism in Brazil and the United States, having as base the European invasion of the continent, police violence, the genocide of the black people, the massacre of indigenous peoples, religious violence, the criminalization of funk music, structural racism in art and education, the importance of quota policy and the need urgent historical repair as a commitment by the Brazilian state to the black people.

Não Vamos Sucumbir

From the preparation for Carnival 2020 until the resumption in 2022, including the suspension of parades during the pandemic, the documentary makes a historical inventory from the emergence of samba schools to the present day, showing the cultural strength and its political and social significance.

When Brazil Was Modern

Brazilian architecture in the 20th century influenced generations of architects worldwide. But there was a time when choosing an architectural style also meant choosing a vision for the country, amidst political power struggles.

Candeia

The life and work of the late samba singer-songwriter Candeia.

Arruma um Pessoal pra Gente Botar uma Macumba num Disco

A short film on Getúlio Marinho, musician and pioneer on intrudicing Afro-Brazilian religious music in the recording industry.

Geraldinos

Maracanã was built for the first World Cup in Brazil in 1950. Initially, it had a democratic space called General. The record analyzes the recent works in the stadium and shows classic fans.