Capoeira, New Horizons
Summary
Opening with a look at the history of Capoeira, in an attempt to discover its roots in its African past, the film director then concentrates on the social dimension of this art form.

Capoeira is acclaimed throughout Brazil, but particularly in Belo Horizonte where the group "Porto de Minas" uses it as a tool to educate street children. Much more than a form of entertainment combining dance and combat, song and percussion, physical skill, elegance and mischievousness, Capoeira is above all a philosophy based on developing the individual's psychological well-being and balance. Capoeira is pulling us along in its wake too, in Europe, where it is establishing a growing presence and where fascination for this art form is helping both to develop its philosophy and to generate economic activity.

The film is structured on testimonies of Capoeira teachers and on a portrait of one of the members of "Porto de Minas".

The camera is their confidante, offering a close-up view of socio-economic context of the disadvantaged communities of Belo Horizonte, often as a counterpoint of the clichés and stereotype associated with Brazilian urban regions. The Capoeira, personalised for the occasion, tells the rest of the story, accentuating the intimate nature of the film and giving it the quality of a narrative
Video
Pictures
Type

Length

Process

Format

Year

Original Language

Version and subtitles


Author / Director

Voice Over



Comment

Lyrics

Operator

Photographer

Sound


Editor

Production


Distribution		 Documentary

52’

35 mm

4/3

1995

Portuguese

French/English
Italian/Portuguese

Basile Sallustio

Pilar Arcas (F)
Denise Blue (P)
Jonie Roger (US)

Jean Pierre Jacquemin

Porto De Minas

Jean Louis Penez

Frank Logue

Yvan Guypen
Jean Timmermans

Eva Houdova

Jungle Films
IdEst Communication

Jungle Films
Partners
• European Union
• The Belgian Agency for Co-operation
Awards
• Best Documentary film at the biennial of Province Hainaut (B) (1997)
• City of Palermo Prize at Sport Film Festival of Palermo (I) (1999)
Festivals
• Festival of Troia - Portugal (06/95)
• Namur Film Festival - Belgium (09/95)
• Distribution theatres at Botanical Centre - Bruxelles (11/95)
• Brussels Film Festival - Belgium(01/96)
• Pan African Film Festival - Los Angeles (02/96)
• Bilan of ethnographic Film - Paris (03/96)
• Festival "Objectif Doc" - Paris (03/96)
• Kinépolis - Bruxelles (05/96)
• Festival de St. Malo - France(05/96)
• Festival of Amiens - France (10/96)9
• Documentary Film Festival of Odivelas- Portugal (11/96)
• Ethnographic Film Festival of Canterbury - UK (11/96)
• Festival of Ougadougou - Burkina Faso (02/97)
• Festival Divercine in Montevideo - Uruguay (07/98)
• "Festival d’été" of Nantes - France (07/98)
• Sport Film Festival of Palermo (12/99)
• Festival Video Dance in Nice - France (12/99)
Broadcasters
• NOS
• RTBF
• BRTN
• France Supervision
• TF1 Odyssée
• Canal Marseille
• MCM
• La Cinquième
• Canal+ International
• Planète cable