Documentary Viva São João (with Gilberto Gil) Playing on July 21

By Alfredo Alvarado

Fans of Brazilian cinema in New York eagerly look forward to the summer when the Petrobras Film Festival in June and the Museum of Modern Art in July present their respective offerings. Cinema Tropical’s Music & Film series at 92Y Tribeca doesn’t feature as many films, but what they do present is simply invaluable, especially for those interested in the evolution and history of Brazilian music.

Andrucha Waddington’s documentary Viva São João! is another gem. With Bahia native Gilberto Gilas the tour guide, we are taken on an exciting and intimate journey to the often-neglected rural communities and towns of the interior of Bahia and Pernambuco where the Catholic festival takes place during the entire month of June.

Throughout the northeast São João is celebrated with food, fireworks and forro, which take over the region the way samba schools take over neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro in February. The festival also celebrates the harvest season in this rugged and sun baked terrain, captured beautifully by Waddington’s camera, where Nordestinos struggle to squeeze out a modest living. The feast includes traditional regional food, many dishes made with corn from the harvest, and of course, forró.

Andrucha Waddington

It is also a tribute to that legendary figure responsible for almost singlehandedly popularizing northeastern music in Rio de Janeiro and the entire country, that is of course, Luiz Gonzaga.

When Gil hits the road to visit Pernambuco, the birthplace of Gonzaga and one of his biggest influences, Gonzaga’s sister joins him.When they arrive you can see and feel the respect that people from all walks of life still have for Gonzaga as friends and family stop them as they walk the streets of his old stopping grounds.

Filmed while Gil was touring the country with his band playing music from the region, he takes the stage before a packed house in Rio and in anemotional moment proudly explains to the Cariocas the cultural and historicalsignificance of Gonzaga’s triumph while fighting back tears.

Viva São João! could easily convince you to alter any vacation plans and skip Rio or Sao Paulo for a more simple but equally exciting time in Recife or Carauru during São João. And the state of Pernambuco should see to it that the film is more widely distributed. Here in New York we are fortunate that Cinema Tropical has decided to screen this film before it slips further into obscurity. Viva Cinema Tropical!

Alfredo Alvarado

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwSXTAMWgUk