Even though many people may not think so out of sheer prejudice, listing the best Brazilian films is not the easiest task. National cinema has a huge number of high-quality works that need more visibility for viewers to give them the recognition they deserve.
To prove this point, we accepted the challenge of choosing the best of the best and prepared an article with the seven most incredible titles in Brazilian cinema according to imdb! Are you ready to be surprised or have you come to find out if your favorite film is among them? Follow us and find out!
What Time Does She Come Back? (2015)
Que Horas Ela Volta is one of the best Brazilian films to touch the viewer. It deals with sensitive themes such as the need to leave one's family to pursue better financial conditions and the impact this has on everyone involved. It had an initial budget of R$ 4 million and grossed R$ 16 million at the box office. Critics also liked the film a lot and its imdb rating is 7.7, having been directed by Anna Muylaert. directed by Anna Muylaert.
Here, the story revolves around Val, played by Regina Casé, a poor woman who is determined to find a good job away from home. She moves from the Northeast to São Paulo, where she works as a maid and leaves her daughter behind in the care of her grandfather. A few years later, her daughter grows up and she too moves to São Paulo to take the university entrance exams. Val sees this as an opportunity to rebuild ties with her. However, nothing will be as simple as she imagined. There are many plot points that make this one of the best Brazilian films.
Today I Want to Go Home Alone (2014)
Directed by Daniel Ribeiro, who also handled the script and production, Hoje Eu Quero Voltar sozinho is the next title on the list of the best Brazilian films ever released. It has an average rating of 7.9 on imdb and is a big hit with audiences, having a budget of R$ 2.6 million and raking in R$ 3.1 million at the box office.
In the plot, we are introduced to the touching story of Leonardo (Guilherme Lobo), a high school student who is blind and struggles to show that he can be independent. Despite this, he is still a boy who dreams of his first kiss in a special way, but believes that no one in the world would ever want to kiss him. Until he meets a boy at his school and everything starts to change.
Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Is Now Different (2010)
This title was the long-awaited sequel to one of the best Brazilian films ever released and left nothing to be desired when compared to the first. Its imdb average is 8.0, exactly the same as its predecessor, and the director responsible for keeping this quality intact was José Padilha. With a budget of 16 million, it was able to rake in over R$ 104 million at the box office and was an absolute success.
In this feature film, Nascimento (Wagner Moura) is back in the spotlight, but he's away from BOPE, acting as Undersecretary of Intelligence for the government of Rio de Janeiro. However, anyone who thinks that because he is away from the streets he is no longer witnessing bloody battles is mistaken. What changes now is that the scenario becomes different: a political dispute between groups that aren't playing around.
Central Station (1998)
Nominated for several awards such as the Golden Globe, Central Station can be considered one of the most acclaimed old Brazilian films of all time. It was directed by Walter Salles and shares an imdb rating of 8.0 with the two Elite Squad films, released many years after its premiere. The film's budget in dollars was US$ 2.2 million and it was so successful that it managed to gross US$ 22.5 million at the box office.
This classic among the best Brazilian films follows the routine of Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) who writes letters to illiterate people in Central Station, even though she is a retired teacher. One day, a mother seeks her out to send a letter to her son's father, who has never even met the child, to try and find him, but the woman is run over in front of the boy as soon as they leave Dora's company. The lady is forced to take action, as the child is now lost in the world, desolate and alone.
Elite Squad (2007)
As one of the best-known Brazilian films, Tropa de Elite could never be left out of this list. It closes the trio that shares an 8.0 rating on imdb alongside its sequel and Central Station. Its director, José Padilha, did such a good job with the film that it was a box-office success: R$ 24.6 million against a budget of R$ 10.5 million.
Here, the reality of the police in the communities of Rio de Janeiro is accurately represented, even though it tells a fictional story. Captain Roberto Nascimento (Wagner Moura) leads the Elite Squad on a mission to resolve conflicts in Morro do Turano. But he won't be able to stay in his position for long and follows his orders on the mission while looking for another policeman to take his place.
The Auto da Compadecida (2000)
Auto da Compadecida is one of Brazil's best loved films and also one of the best known for the number of times it has been shown on free-to-air TV. The story directed by Guel Arraes adapts the work written by Ariano Suassuna in 1955 with a lot of humor and a number of subtle criticisms and others that are quite blatant. Although there is no exact record of its budget, the film grossed R$ 11.4 million and has an 8.6 rating on imdb.
The plot tells the story of ChicĂł (Selton Melo) and JoĂŁo Grilo (Matheus Nachtergaele), two poor boys who go to work in the bakery where they live. However, their bosses treat the dog they own much better than they do and, when the animal dies, they are tasked with convincing the local priest to bless the dog before burial. JoĂŁo Grilo uses his wits to achieve this feat, but many things are unleashed after that and the confusion ends up even in heaven!
City of God (2002)
Finally, the gold medal winner among the best Brazilian films! City of God is another film that faithfully represents the reality of Rio de Janeiro's favelas, without hiding the brutality brought on by crime and poverty in these environments. It is very highly rated on imdb, with a score of 8.7 and establishing Fernando Meirelles as one of the biggest names among Brazilian film directors.
With several characters based on real figures, Cidade de Deus follows in the footsteps of Buscapé (Alexandre Rodrigues), a boy who has great photography skills and dreams of becoming a photographer. He is surrounded by the brutal crime of the slum where he lives and witnesses a bloody picture as he tries to stay away from all this violence and sees his friends and companions not having the same luck. The film had a budget of around R$ 8.2 million and grossed over 30 million dollars, making it an absolute success!
Conclusion
Although taste is a very personal thing and some people may disagree, these are the best Brazilian films according to the average score on the imdb website. But what about you? Do you agree with these rankings? Do you have any to add or remove from the list? Leave your opinion in the comments! We want to hear from you! Enjoy and check out our article on the seven best action movie directors of all time and also the video we've put together for you below!
