Argument:

This film is a Brazilian musical that begins with the story of two young people from a slum in Rio de Janeiro. Openly inspired by Romeo and Juliet, it is a review of our strong sense of music, our contemporary dance as well as the strange mix we find in slum, where violence lives along side artistic possibility brought by social projects.

“Maré, Our Love Story” tells the story of Analídia e Jonatha, two young residents of Maré, a slum in Rio de Janeiro that began in the 60’s as a shantytown and then later, after urbanization projects grew to over 140 thousand inhabitants. Today Maré is divided between two gangs of drug traffickers that hate each other more than their shared hatred toward the police. Whoever lives on one side of the community is not allowed to have contact with the other side for risk of punishment.

Analídia is the cousin of one of the gangs’ leaders and Jonatha is a childhood friend of the other. Both study in a dance group sponsored by an NGO and directed by an ex-ballerina (Fernanda) that is situated exactly in the middle of two groups.

The absurdities of this situation run throughout the entire film, as does our rich tradition of musicals and dance. In the project “I Prefer Maré,” we can see the contribution of several genres, in attempt to reach our contemporary musical style.

Presentation:

I graduated in classic ballet at the end of adolescence after years of study. While it didn’t make a ballerina, because life took in a different direction, it at least made me fall in love with any kind of physical expression.

It is undeniable that the discipline of classic ballet technique has always fascinated me. I find the same discipline in the Mocidade Independente drumline, Broadway or (again) in a good performance of Swan Lake.

For a long time, I have thought about doing a musical that could review the Brazilian melting pot. I knew that would be impossible to bring the “Cassino da Urca,” “chanchada” or “tropicalismo” back to life. I have often seen bad art copies brought by globalization. Just trying to copy the culture of “good taste” would only bring as a result something ridiculous, especially for those who like and know dance.

When I saw some recent contemporary dance exhibitions, some of them working with young people from slums and very successful as entertainment, I again began to think about a Brazilian musical film. The fact that these exhibitions work with our cultural diversity create dance troupes of all colors, without any worry about uniformity like traditional shows. This aspect alone would be fascinating, because no one can’t contest the fact that diversity is fascinating. However, what makes us think deeper is that in order to achieve this diversity, one has to be very disciplined and rigorous. And the result of these two factors is absolutely unique. It is Brazilian.

“Maré, Our Love Story” created a dance troupe based on various groups from Rio de Janeiro, working with our ethnic and cultural diversity, but combining the same discipline of a traditional show.

As in the same way of my two last works (Brava Gente Brasileira – with Indians – and the movie “Quase Dois Irmãos” - with a Brazilian Drama Group from a favela) I mix the actors’ experiences with the situations we face while writing of the script. In this sense, I brought together Paulo Lins (author of “City of God” and co-author of “Almost Brothers”) with the choreographer Graciela Figueroa, a fundamental artist in Brazilian contemporary dance.

Characters:

Fernanda (Marisa Orth)  – ex-ballerina, about 50 years old, accepts a job in a favela due to lack of work. Arrogant and without any social conscience, she begins to fight for the students, getting involved with them. She represents the connection of the favela to the “other side” of the city.

Analídia (Cristina Lago) – resident of Maré, close to 16 years of age, her dream is to be a ballerina. She is the cousin of the drug boss (Bê) from one side of Maré. In love with Jonatha, she takes any risk in order to preserve their relationship.

Jonatha  (Vinícius D´Black) – resident of Maré, close to 18 years of age, he is a hip-hop MC and he also takes classes at the dance school. His dream is to become a singer and record an album. He is the childhood friend of the drug boss from the other side of Maré (Dudu). In love with Analídia, he wants to leave this place realize his dreams. He is also very aware of social problems.

Leonardo (Rafael Diogo) – resident of Maré, close to 12 years of age, he is also a student at the dance school. He is the brother of Bê, who doesn’t accept the fact he studies dance.

Dudu (Babu Santana) – resident of Maré, close to 20 years of age, he is the current drug boss of the right side of Maré. He is completely crazy and violent, but has a deep friendship with Jonatha, for whom he will do anything.

Bê (Jefchander) - resident of Maré, close to 20 years of age, is the current drug boss of the left side of Maré. He fights Dudu for control of the community.

 

Crew:

Director: Lucia Murat

Photography Director: Lucio Kodato

Art Director: Gringo Cardia

Script: Lucia Murat e Paulo Lins

Choreography: Graciela Figueroa

Additional Choreography: Sonia Destri

Music Directors: Fernando Moura e Marcos Suzano