Having participated and seen over 200 films at the 2004 and 2005 Rio & S.Paulo(Brazil) FilmFests, I've decided to add a general comment about every film of note with NO IMDb comment, for the benefit of the clueless viewer like myself prior to seeing this film.
Actually, Sao Paulo 2005 starts in a few days, but I've ALREADY SCREENED MORE THAN HALF OF THE FEATURE FILMS TO BE SHOWN HERE AT THE EARLIER RIO FILM FESTIVAL September 22 to this past October 6th. I'm therefore calling my comments The Rio/SP Unofficial Critic's Note. In case you see more than one comment, you'll know I am doing this as a service and not trying to break a record for posting comments, just giving out pretty bland info, since nobody else has, I have the time, and you deserve to have some background info. Again, only films which have NO comment at all and little info will be commented on.
On that note (forgive my explanations, this is my first comment as the unofficial information provider), I'm also motivated to write by the lack of information on worthy films which for unexplainable reasons, have little information and NO comment at all in the IMDb site. Many do not even appear as a title in this site until a year later sometimes - the case of this film, and it had played two earlier European festivals of note (listed by the IMDb) months before the film got to Brazil a year ago.
In the case of this film, it features very well known Latin stars. Too bad these films' producers don't submit their films to these sites. Most of these films (if not all) are quickly forgotten, if at all seen. But what can you expect when the producers and distributors and distributors don't care to submit them? Some of them are quite good actually. But with no publicity, they are seen by few people.
THIS FILM IS NOT one of the "quite good ones" just mentioned. BUT, for any Film Festival Goer, PARTICULARLY A Latin FILM FESTIVAL GOER, it is a welcome and relevant break in the middle of one of these festivals.
The film pokes fun at what is happening at events like the one we're at now. For 50% of the Western World's Festival Market (which is Latin: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, or French speakers, in Europe, the Americas, even Africa), this film is a light, witty film, absolutely perfect for that target audience.
For those not familiar with Latin stars and culture, but with film culture, it will also be a movie, you can relate to totally. The different stereotypes are everywhere worldwide: the first time movie director trying to break the ice, the "festival junkies" or groupies sneaking into parties, and pulling all kinds of ridiculous publicity stunts just for attention, the party crashers, wannabees, and in this movie's case, a wonderful, if somewhat over the top, satire on the now many-years-long trend to make any movie in English, so it can appeal to the "wide market", no matter how ridiculous this exercise is.
This is the main plot line of this picture as a director/actress couple try to publicize their "ultimate" Latin American movie, spoken in English!! Of course, this trend and this example is not even that ridiculous anymore since Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" and Napoleon's "definitive" story have been recently filmed in English, by the biggest names in acting, appropriately French and Italian (for the Bonaparte family), but spoken, and mouthed TOTALLY in English. My, how the French have fallen, allowing Gérard Depardieu's Jean Valjean to deliver Victor Hugo's prose in English; to have Napoleon and his family speaking only in English!
Therefore, I send out my congratulations to this team of "@Festivbercine.ron" film creators for a film, which a couple of years ago, foresaw as ridiculous what has become commonplace now. And again, the film's a great break during a film festival. It will put the whole event in perspective back for you, and aid in preserving your sanity through situations like these film festivals, and in a light and very likable way. See it if you can.
Actually, Sao Paulo 2005 starts in a few days, but I've ALREADY SCREENED MORE THAN HALF OF THE FEATURE FILMS TO BE SHOWN HERE AT THE EARLIER RIO FILM FESTIVAL September 22 to this past October 6th. I'm therefore calling my comments The Rio/SP Unofficial Critic's Note. In case you see more than one comment, you'll know I am doing this as a service and not trying to break a record for posting comments, just giving out pretty bland info, since nobody else has, I have the time, and you deserve to have some background info. Again, only films which have NO comment at all and little info will be commented on.
On that note (forgive my explanations, this is my first comment as the unofficial information provider), I'm also motivated to write by the lack of information on worthy films which for unexplainable reasons, have little information and NO comment at all in the IMDb site. Many do not even appear as a title in this site until a year later sometimes - the case of this film, and it had played two earlier European festivals of note (listed by the IMDb) months before the film got to Brazil a year ago.
In the case of this film, it features very well known Latin stars. Too bad these films' producers don't submit their films to these sites. Most of these films (if not all) are quickly forgotten, if at all seen. But what can you expect when the producers and distributors and distributors don't care to submit them? Some of them are quite good actually. But with no publicity, they are seen by few people.
THIS FILM IS NOT one of the "quite good ones" just mentioned. BUT, for any Film Festival Goer, PARTICULARLY A Latin FILM FESTIVAL GOER, it is a welcome and relevant break in the middle of one of these festivals.
The film pokes fun at what is happening at events like the one we're at now. For 50% of the Western World's Festival Market (which is Latin: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, or French speakers, in Europe, the Americas, even Africa), this film is a light, witty film, absolutely perfect for that target audience.
For those not familiar with Latin stars and culture, but with film culture, it will also be a movie, you can relate to totally. The different stereotypes are everywhere worldwide: the first time movie director trying to break the ice, the "festival junkies" or groupies sneaking into parties, and pulling all kinds of ridiculous publicity stunts just for attention, the party crashers, wannabees, and in this movie's case, a wonderful, if somewhat over the top, satire on the now many-years-long trend to make any movie in English, so it can appeal to the "wide market", no matter how ridiculous this exercise is.
This is the main plot line of this picture as a director/actress couple try to publicize their "ultimate" Latin American movie, spoken in English!! Of course, this trend and this example is not even that ridiculous anymore since Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" and Napoleon's "definitive" story have been recently filmed in English, by the biggest names in acting, appropriately French and Italian (for the Bonaparte family), but spoken, and mouthed TOTALLY in English. My, how the French have fallen, allowing Gérard Depardieu's Jean Valjean to deliver Victor Hugo's prose in English; to have Napoleon and his family speaking only in English!
Therefore, I send out my congratulations to this team of "@Festivbercine.ron" film creators for a film, which a couple of years ago, foresaw as ridiculous what has become commonplace now. And again, the film's a great break during a film festival. It will put the whole event in perspective back for you, and aid in preserving your sanity through situations like these film festivals, and in a light and very likable way. See it if you can.