Héctor Babenco

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die

Besieged by cancer and nearing the end, the genius Argentine-Brazilian filmmaker Héctor Babenco (1946-2016) asks Bárbara Paz, his wife, for one last wish: to be the protagonist of his own death.

Talk to Him

Dr. Drauzio Varella has a hypothetical conversation with his friend Hector Babenco, a filmmaker who died in 2016. The importance of friendship is addressed in the documentary based on the death of a friend — and shows the decrease in happiness and the irreplaceable void left by this game.

Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait

A chronicle of the personal life and public career of the celebrated artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel.

About Cinema

An abandoned tumbledown theater in the outback of Paraíba state is the initial setting of a film about cinema, which explores the testimonials of the novelist and playwright Ariano Suassuna and other filmmakers such as Ruy Guerra, Julio Bressane, Ken Loach, Andrzej Wajda, Karim Ainouz, José Padilha, Hector Babenco, Vilmos Zsigmond, Béla Tarr, Gus Van Sant and Jia Zhangke. They all respond to two basic questions: why do they make movies and why do they serve the seventh art. The filmmakers share their thoughts about time, narrative, rhythm, light, movement, the meaning of tragedy, the audience‘s desires and the boundaries with other forms of art.

Sabotage: Maestro do Canão

Mauro Mateus dos Santos was known by another name: Sabotage. Growing up amidst poverty in São Paulo, the musician, who became a legend after his death, is one of the most important names in national rap.

Rita Cadillac: The Lady of the People

This revealing documentary about the Brazilian sex symbol goes deep into her career as she pivoted from dancer to singer to adult film star.

Paulista

Three metropolitan stories entwine in São Paulo. Would-be actress Marina arrives in the city looking for independence, falls madly in love with Justine, a bisexual rock singer, and is swept up into her wild, edgy lifestyle. Marina shares a flat on Avenida Paulista with Suzana, a mysterious lawyer who begins a relationship with a male colleague who is unaware that she's transsexual. Jay lives a few floors above them. He is a frustrated writer trying to give a meaning to his life by idealizing a stunningly beautiful prostitute, whom he transforms into a sort of muse. Following the frenetic pace of the city, the three "Paulista" characters will experience the euphoria of passion and its downside.

Tangled Web: Making Kiss of the Spider Woman

Rare documents and details of the film's story. From its initial option to its critical reception and legacy. Director David Weisman, who also produced "Kiss of the Spider Woman", comes off as rightful creative force behind the production, as it was his true passion. Very detailed comments from all the participants, from the author of the book to the lawyer for the production company, the actors, director, writers, producer, and crew members.

Critic

Seventy critics and filmmakers discuss cinema around the conflict between the artist and the observer, the creator and the critic. Between 1998 and 2007, Kléber Mendonça Filho recorded testimonies about this relationship in Brazil, the United States and Europe, based on his experience as a critic.

Pixote In Memoriam

A tribute documentary on Fernando Ramos da Silva, the famous child star of the acclaimed film by Hector Babenco, "Pixote, a Lei do Mais Fraco" (1981). 20 years after his assassination by the police, his co-stars and Babenco talk about Fernando's contributions to the film, his troubled life when his acting works didn't took off as expected (since he was typecast) and which made him turn back to his past life of poverty and crimes. The project also presents that film's influence to many directors and artists around the world.

The Past

After 12 years, Sofía and Rímini decided to separate. While Rímini finds it easy to move on and start a new life, Sofía stays stuck in the past and constantly harasses him. She reappears again and again on Rímini's horizon to reconquer him, torture him or redeem him.

Before Night Falls

Spanning several decades, this powerful biopic offers a glimpse into the life of famed Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, an artist who was vilified for his homosexuality in Fidel Castro's Cuba.

The Venice Project

Roland is an avant-garde artist in Venice, California whose sister lives on their family's estate in Venice, Italy. Their father is near death and announces that his home and priceless collection of art have been bequeathed to the Italian government.