O Povo Brasileiro is a series of ten documentaries whose theme is the sociocultural formation of the Brazilian people. Based on the homonymous work of anthropologist, educator and essayist Darcy Ribeiro, one of the greatest Brazilian intellectuals of the 20th century, the series asks: who are Brazilians? And what do they want from the future?

​

Produced from a long and exclusive testimonial that Darcy Ribeiro granted my camera before dying, the series was built as a kind of symphony. The documentaries bring together different voices in a concert where fact and myth, past and present, tradition and modernity, dialogue and provoke reflections and feelings. 26 minutes long each, although serial, the films have individual autonomy. They are: Matriz Tupi, Matriz Lusa, Matriz Afro, Encontros e Desencontros, Brasil Crioulo, Brasil Sertanejo, Brasil Caipira, Brasil Caboclo, Brasis Sulinos, Invenção do Brasil.

​

Darcy Ribeiro is the narrator. Chico Buarque de Holanda talks about additional excerpts from Darcy's work. Matheus Nachtergaele reads period texts, poems, excerpts from essays and classic literary works. With their testimonies, Antonio Candido, Aziz Ab'Saber, Paulo Vanzolini, Ariano Suassuna, Luis Melodia, among other thinkers and artists, enrich the discussion. Gilberto Gil and Tom Zé make special appearances.

​

We also created a 70 minutes long version of the series, Mistura e Invenção. In it, we show how Brazil, despite all the vicissitudes of its formation, has much to say to the world. Mistura e Invenção proposes an immersion in the kaleidoscopic Brazilian culture as a diverse, exuberant, suffering and unique experience on planet Earth.

​

Crew

Idealization, screenwriting and direction: Isa Grinspum Ferraz

Argument: Antonio Risério, Isa Grinspum Ferraz, Marcos Pompéia

Executive production: Zita Carvalhosa

Assistant director: Flavio Frederico

Filming director: Flavio Frederico, Mauro Farias

Cinematography: José Guerra, Adrian Cooper, Carlos Ebert

Editing: Idê Lacreta, Vania Debs

Original soundtrack: Marco Antonio Guimarães

Production design: Rico Lins, Siron Franco

Direct sound and sound designer: Eduardo Santos Mendes, João Godoy

Assistant director: Flavio Frederico

Production director: Fernanda Senatori

Research coordination: Stella Grisotti

Presentation: Chico Buarque de Holanda

Narration: Matheus Nachtergaele

​

Festivals and awards

“Best Cultural Production for TV”, Grande Prêmio Brasil - 2000

Finalist in the category Cultural Issues, on the 2000 Television Programming and Promotion Competition, The New York Festival

Selected for the III Festival Internacional de Cinema Ambiental - 2001

Participation in the É Tudo Verdade festival - 2001

Participation in the États Généraux du Film Documentaire festival, in Lussas, France - 2000