On Saturday night, I spent the perfect evening with my friend Jasmyn at Berimbau Brazilian Table, where we were transported from the cold, hostile streets of Midtown to an immersion in the culture, flavor, artistry, and hospitality of Brazil.
The duo teamed up with Maxximal and MC Hollywood, two powerful players in Brazil’s music scene, to breathe new life into the ’70s classic.
Brazil is sending a queer love story to the Oscars.
Private Desert (Deserto Particular), Brazil’s submission for this year’s Academy Awards, tells a love story between a gender nonbinary youth and a disgraced ex-cop in a society that doesn’t accept them.
The film’s director, Aly Muritaba, sat down for a post-screening Q&A at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens on November 20.
Muritaba began by answering whether Brazil’s right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, would appreciate the film. “I believe Bolsonaro would not be happy, especially with his history of homophobia,” he said via a translator.
He said the film received funding before Bolsonaro’s administration. But now that he is in power, Muritaba said LGBT art has faced more “censorship.” In response to Bolsonaro’s crackdown, Muritaba said the film is “fighting fascism with love.”
Muritaba — who identifies as a straight, cis man – discussed how he had aimed to be respectful and authentic to the experiences of his characters. He said he consulted with many trans women and made sure to have the actor who played the nonbinary lead be nonbinary themselves. He said LGBT people worked in front and behind the camera. “The [LGBT] community was present all the way,” he said.
Muritaba was asked about how his previous job as a prison guard informed his storytelling. “Listen to people,” the director said.
After a special screening of Petra Costa’s critically acclaimed documentary “The Edge of Democracy,” the director discussed the tragedy that is Brazilian democracy in its current state, and how she balances the personal with the political in her storytelling.
“A film about a future that looks as bleak as our darkest past.”
On Wednesday, December 19th, UMA founder and designer Raquel Davidowicz unveiled re-editions of the iconic series “Os Bichos” by mid-century Brazilian artist, the late Lygia Clark. The event took place at the new UMA location at 13 Crosby Street in New York City.
On October 18th, UMA by Raquel Davidowicz celebrated the opening of a new store. Once located on Bleeker Street, the family-owned brand has relocated to 13 Crosby Street which calls for more room to showcase the contemporary, classic womenswear manufactured in Sao Paulo.
The function, a classy mixer, gave guests and press a chance to rome through the store and go through the clothing racks as Sao Paulo native and DJ, Beco Branoff, provided music. Although hors-d’oeuvres were provided by SoHo’s The Smile, Davidowicz was sure to include flavors from Brazil, paying homage to the place her parents were born. Traditional Brazilian cocktails called caipirinha were served while sweet desserts, known as Brazil’s national truffle, called brigadeiro sat on their own pedestal near the entrance waiting for guests to indulge
Amongst the crowd, enjoying the food and cocktails was Emma Ferrer, Elle Dee, and Alexia Bontempo, as well as Lolita Cros and Lily Mortimer who both wore a white, zip-up jumpsuit from UMA’s current collection.
“I make clothes for women of all ages, mostly for women who are involved in art and women who like to work,” Davidowics explains as she points to the wrap sweater she’s wearing. “This collection was all about the refugees all over the world,” she continues, “the fashion show was in Sao Paulo’s Museum of Immigration, it’s the place immigrants were received in Brazil during the 30’s and 40’s.”
Davidowicz is from Poland, but uses fashion to pay tribute to refugees, like her grandparents who migrated to Brazil, by creating clothes with simple colors, black, white, blues, and earth tones; that are easy to travel in and can be worn in many different ways. At first each piece looks laid back, however, they can be dressed up or down easily.
Although there is only one UMA located in New York, consumers can head to the UMA website where the current and future collections can be shipped internationally. Be sure to check out the new location and shop the latest.
The economic and security crisis in Venezuela has forced Latin America to react as Venezuelans look for new opportunities elsewhere. The response has been varied: from highly coordinated to nearly nonexistent.
In perhaps the best foreign-language film of the year, Bingo the clown transforms Brazilian TV while indulging in whiskey, cocaine, and supermodels, all set to a glorious 80s soundtrack.
Last Saturday, Galeria Melissa brought ‘Baile funk’ to Manhattan for an unforgettable celebration of Brazil’s booming funk music scene.
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