..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..R.J. Matson
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Michael Wilmington

Sons Of Brazil

Our official national entry for the 2006 Oscar race, 2 Filhos de Francisco (2 Sons of Francisco) tells the real story of brothers Zezé and Luciano di Camargo, a pair of very popular country music singers here in Brazil. Considering I'm not a fan of this type of music and that I have pretty strong reservations about "celebrities" doing film, I reacted badly: I let a negative prejudice sink in even months before I had a chance to watch the movie. As a critic, I hate when I see this in others and I really try to prevent myself from falling into this trap. But sometimes it's inevitable.

Usually, when a celebrity whose field of work is not movie-related decides to star in or fund/produce a film, the project reveals itself to be: a) a "Mariah Carey" (a vanity endeavor); b) a Britney Spears (an effort to make an easy buck); or c) a "Goebbels" (an attempt of propaganda or religious indoctrination, as shown by all the "documentaries" funded by left and right-wing groups during the period building to the U.S. Presidential election last year).

Hell, if you're already a movie star, you can even make a "Mel Gibson" (a film that fits two or more of those options).

So, when I found out 2 Sons of Francisco was co-produced by di Camargo and his brother and told their story, I feared for the worst. And when the theater lights came down, I sighed with hopelessness.

Two hours later, I wasn't sighing. I had laughed, cried and desperately rooted for these heroes. I might not be a fan of their music, but I certainly came to admire their professional trajectory. And the most important thing: I'm forced to recognize this is one of the best Brazilian movies of the year, if not the absolute best.

Written by Patrícia Andrade and Carolina Kotscho, the script follows the efforts of Francisco, who is trying to offer a better future to his (many) children. A humble farmer who works on a little piece of land borrowed from his father-in-law, he is a passionate fan of country music and finally comes to the conclusion that the most promising option for his sons is to make them into a musical duo. To accomplish this dream, he makes numerous personal sacrifices in order to buy musical instruments, rehearse his kids and to move with his family to a big city.

Although it covers a long period of its heroes lives, 2 Sons of Francisco has a fluid storytelling and never seems episodic - a true feat in a project of this size. Recreating the moments that seem to be the most important of that family's journey, the screenplay is never melodramatic, even when the temptation to be so presents itself. And there are lots of incidents along the story that would certainly be fit to melodrama. Always sensitive and competent, Andrade and Kotscho understand that the obstacles faced by the characters are dramatic by nature and don't need an artificial push to have a bigger impact.

Meanwhile, new director Breno Silveira exhibits a strong hand in driving the narrative. When you see the film, you will see how he contrasts the silence and the calm of the scenes in the countryside with the deafening sounds and the nervous camera that shocks the audience when the Camargo family moves to the city. The film's sound mixing is impeccable, even daring a cinematic rarity, recording the actors' voices during the musical sequences live rather than recorded in a studio.

Besides that, during the first half of the movie, the photography embraces earthly tones of color, emphasizing the bond between the characters and the land. After they arrive in the city, the colors become cold and unwelcoming.

Silveira also reveals himself to be an excellent actor's director. All the performances in 2 Sons of Francisco are equally effective, from the extras to the stars, including the secondary characters. Jackson Antunes is absolutely great in his only scene, in which he teaches one of the boys how to play the accordion. And I was particularly impressed by the performances of the newcomers Dablio Moreira and Marcos Henrique, who play Zezé and Emival during childhood. They feel extremely natural, they establish an incredible chemistry that becomes the core of the film. It's also their own voices during their songs.

Obviously, the veteran actors don't disappoint either. Dira Paes, playing Helena (the boy's mother) is enchanting as usual and Lima Duarte (Me You Them) is effective in his few minutes in the movie. However, the two great performances amongst the older actors belong to José Dumont and Ângelo Antônio.

Regarding the first one, I was not surprised. José Dumont is one of Brazil's best actors. In 2 Sons of Francisco, he plays Miranda, a small-time talent agent who takes the two boys on a long trip throughout the country, assuring their parents he'll make them famous. At first he seems only interested in making money for himself before experiencing a change of heart that'll play an inadvertent role in a future tragedy. Dumont creates a character that, at the same time, makes us suspicious and conquers our sympathy. Cynical and a charlatan, it's a character that becomes three-dimensional thanks to the charisma and the talent of José Dumont, who is also responsible for some of the funniest moments of the movie.

On the other hand, Ângelo Antônio plays papa Francisco in an extremely warm and truthful manner, proving that "harsh" and "delicate" are two adjectives that can live together harmoniously. There's one scene in the movie that, by itself, would grant Antônio all the accolades: after realizing that the house that he rents for his family in the city is basically a shed with no floor and riddled with leaks, he still manages to make his children smile by playing with something that, for them, is a novelty: an electric lamp.

2 Sons of Francisco has many moments like that, in which subtle performance details build a whole new meaning in the spectator's mind. The first time Zezé and his future wife Zilu speak to each other, for instance, we see them breathing heavily just because they're nervous in the presence of one another.

This film has two fundamental characteristics that most of contemporary movies lack: a heart and a soul. The humanity of its story is so endearing that, when the real Zezé and Luciano appear on the screen, the spectators feel grateful, even if they're not fans of the singers. After that touching journey, we want… no, we need .. to see them and hear them singing alongside their family and their fans.

They earned our admiration, our affection, and, most of all, our respect.

Films released in Brazil since the last column: The Constant Gardener (UK); Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (US); Lord of War (US); Off the Map (US); Reinas (Spain); Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (UK); The Brothers Grimm (US); O Coronel e o Lobisomem (Brasil); Eros (US); Sky High (US); The I Inside (US); Enduring Love (UK); Vlado - 30 Anos Depois (Brasil); Bewitched (US); Vida de Menina (Brasil); Torremolinos 73 (Spain).

October 21, 2005

Pablo Villaça is the editor of the Brazilian film publication Cinema em Cena and is a member of the Online Film Critics Society. You can e-mail him at pablo@cinemaemcena.com.br.

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