Macunaíma

Free Admission “A strange but delightful masterpiece of Brazilian cinema.” Gustavo Furtavo, Senses of Cinema Somewhere in the Amazon jungle, an old woman gives birth to a fully-grown man who becomes the (anti)hero of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s absurdist, satirical Cinema Novo classic. Macunaíma is Black at birth (Grande Otelo), but after a magical transformation turns him into a White man (Paulo José), he travels to the city and is afforded all the privileges of his new race. While Andrade’s contemporaries were noted for their raw, neorealism-inspired portraits of Brazil’s economic hardships, Macunaíma stands out for its vibrant tropical visuals and carnivalesque comedic sequences. Andrade’s work is no less politically subversive for being wildly entertaining, however. The film’s use of comedy, mythological tropes, and literary influences––the film is adapted from one of Brazil’s foundational literary texts––is a calculated tactic to avoid censorship from the country’s newly ascended military dictatorship. Macunaíma is a funhouse mirror held up to all the contradictions of Brazilian society, and its reflection is equally compelling today. In Portuguese with English subtitles This free screening is presented as part of ​“Cinema Thinks the World,” a partnership project between The University of British Columbia and The Cinematheque. After the film, there will be a short reception followed by a one-hour panel talk with audience discussion. Panellists: Jon Beasley-Murray, William Brown, Alessandra Santose Moderator: Chelsea Birks Please note: Unclaimed tickets for complimentary screenings at The Cinematheque will be released 15 minutes before showtime. Please arrive early to guarantee your seat.