Brazilian Cinema

First we must delve into the origins of cinema in Brazil to find the roots of the state's role in the development of Brazilian cinema. I will now briefly cover the beginnings of the Brazilian film prior to gaining attention from the state and becoming an industry. Through examination of the economic and political context in which Brazilian film began to develop we will have a better understanding of the motivations behind the state's involvement in cinema. Cinema began in Brazil just six months after the Lumiere brothers revealed what would be considered the first motion camera, the cinematographe, in 1895. Shortly after its inception, from 1908 to 1911, Brazilian cinema entered into what would be known as the Bela Epoca, the Golden Age,

Vera Cruz was not able to generate the capital to maintain its Hollywood standards and it eventually bankrupted and reached its inevitable end in 1954. John King (2000) states that Vera Cruz "was doomed to failure since it was too costly and ambitious." In spite of its ruin, Vera Cruz left behind an improved Brazilian cinema, incorporating into the national cinema the "international cinematic language" and improving the technical quality of films. Vera Cruz was also responsible for highlighting the problematic organization and structure of the film industry and the need for state intervention and support (Johnson, 1987). It was around this period that many organized discussions on state of the film industry in Brazil started to occur. Many critics and filmmakers have voiced their opinion on the matter and outlined the specific dilemma.Famous director Nelson Pereira dos Santos voiced his opinion on the matter at the Primeiro Congresso Paulista de Cinema Brasileiro (First Sao Paulo Congress of Brazilian Cinema) At the congress he presented a text titled "The Problem of Content in Brazilian Cinema" in which he discussed the creation of a free, independent, national cinema: But what does a free and independent Brazilian

ln 1993 Franco implemented the Lei do Audiovisual (Audiovisual Law). He was then preceded by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, whom, during his presidency is often credited for being responsible for the revival of the Brazilian film industry. This revival was known as the Retomado do Cinema or the "rebirth of Brazilian Cinema". However, critics argue that the term rebirth suggests a death of the industry and that that terminology is not suitable. Zanin Oricchio (2003) argues that the film industry was not "dead" after the collapse of Embrafilme but almost "zero". Fewer than 12 films were made in the early 1990s. However, under the FHC government, the industry saw a tremendous rise to155 feature films and more than 100 documentaries made between 1995 and 2000. The first film of the Retomada was Carla Camurati's Carlota Joaquina: Princesa do Brasil (Carlota Joaquina: Princess of Brazil, 1995), which attracted viewing figures of over one million. Furthermore, three Brazilian films were nominated for the Oscar for best foreign language film between 1996 and 1999; O quatrilho, Four days in September and Central