Like so many daughters throughout history, especially the ones that still live at home, Malu Rocha (Yara de Novaes) exists in a state of constant rebellion against her mother. A volatile, weed-loving, Rio-born actress who dreams of turning the family house into a community theater for the kids who live in the local favela, Malu relishes every opportunity to cause a scene in her own living room, even — or especially — if that opportunity comes at the expense of good taste.
When she comes home one day to find her mom, Lili (Juliana Carneiro da Cunha), sharing a cup of tea with a mild-mannered priest, Malu begins lecturing the guest about how Jesus Christ was a communist who “started a religion full of pedophiles.” Lili tries to excuse this behavior by insisting that her daughter is a drug addict, but that isn’t enough to stop the priest from making a hasty exit stage right.
When she comes home one day to find her mom, Lili (Juliana Carneiro da Cunha), sharing a cup of tea with a mild-mannered priest, Malu begins lecturing the guest about how Jesus Christ was a communist who “started a religion full of pedophiles.” Lili tries to excuse this behavior by insisting that her daughter is a drug addict, but that isn’t enough to stop the priest from making a hasty exit stage right.
- 4/9/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Yara de Novaes as Malu. Pedro Freire:'When we were rehearsing or shooting, many times I was crying. And the actresses were looking at me like, "Wow, he's really moved by that. He's really emotional". And they told me that this was really strong for them - that because they felt that for the director, it became moving to them too.' Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute Pedro Freire's debut, Malu, is about as personal as it can get since it's based on part of the life of his own mother, Malu Rocha, who died in 2013 when he was 32. His family drama explores the tensions between ageing actress Malu (Yara de Novaes), her mother Lily (Juliana Carneiro da Cunha) and Malu's daughter Joana (Carol Duarte), a tempestuous trio, whose anger is often as fierce as their love for one another. We caught up with Freire after the film premiered at...
- 2/2/2024
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Tempestuous family relationships rage at the heart of Pedro Freire’s debut feature, which is rooted in the real life of his mother Malu Rocha - a human tornado around which the rest of the family spins. An ageing actress, life is a show for Malu (Yara de Novaes), who we meet as she practises vocal exercises on the roof of her dilapidated home in a Rio de Janiero favela. Theatrics, in general, are at the heart of Freire’s film, which largely plays out as a claustrophobic chamber piece - emphasised by its boxy ratio and lit by its trio of blistering performances.
Malu’s days of fame and fortune may be in the past but she still has big dreams of turning the crumbling building into a community theatre. At the present moment, however, it is home to her and her elderly mother Lili (Juliana Carneiro da Cunha), whose equally strong.
Malu’s days of fame and fortune may be in the past but she still has big dreams of turning the crumbling building into a community theatre. At the present moment, however, it is home to her and her elderly mother Lili (Juliana Carneiro da Cunha), whose equally strong.
- 2/2/2024
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Smoking weed and telling off Catholic priests are just two of the ways Malu Rocha (Yara de Novaes) asserts her rebellious spirit. The eccentric, indomitable and idiosyncratic actress at that center of Pedro Freire’s feature debut “Malu” is the embodiment of a highly flammable substance. Her volatile personality, capable of consuming everything in her way, ignites a Rio de Janeiro-set intergenerational drama inspired by the life story of the director’s mother.
Malu doesn’t live in the present. Most of the time, she’s either retelling stories from her youth about getting into trouble with the law during the dictatorship years, or else rambling about a hypothetical future. Malu dreams of turning her home into a cultural center where kids from the nearby favela can come for recreational activities and theater productions. But the property needs as many repairs as do her relationships with both her elderly mother...
Malu doesn’t live in the present. Most of the time, she’s either retelling stories from her youth about getting into trouble with the law during the dictatorship years, or else rambling about a hypothetical future. Malu dreams of turning her home into a cultural center where kids from the nearby favela can come for recreational activities and theater productions. But the property needs as many repairs as do her relationships with both her elderly mother...
- 1/27/2024
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin-based sales agent Pluto Film has pounced on international sales rights to Brazil’s “Malu,” the only completely non-European production in this year’s Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Competition, inspired by first feature director Pedro Freire’s troubled relationship with his mother Malu Rocha, a Brazilian actor.
“Since we love to work with new voices in global cinema, we were immediately convinced, that ‘Malu’ would fit perfectly to Pluto Film’s line-up,” said Pluto Film’s Benjamin Cölle, its managing director and head of sales.
“The film offers a unique storytelling approach from an up-and-coming director, who tackles complex themes like ambition, family, and survival in a specific cultural context with boldness. The film‘s narrative is rich with interpersonal drama and cultural context and its multi-dimensional characters add depth,” he added.
Freire has taken the personal and structured it around the relationship between three generations of women, the daughter,...
“Since we love to work with new voices in global cinema, we were immediately convinced, that ‘Malu’ would fit perfectly to Pluto Film’s line-up,” said Pluto Film’s Benjamin Cölle, its managing director and head of sales.
“The film offers a unique storytelling approach from an up-and-coming director, who tackles complex themes like ambition, family, and survival in a specific cultural context with boldness. The film‘s narrative is rich with interpersonal drama and cultural context and its multi-dimensional characters add depth,” he added.
Freire has taken the personal and structured it around the relationship between three generations of women, the daughter,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Callum McLennan
- Variety Film + TV
The Berlin International Film Festival has revealed the first 11 titles in its Panorama section, including Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro,” the James Schamus-produced “Casting JonBenet” and Daniela Thomas’ “Vazante.” John Trengrove’s “The Wound” will open the section.
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The festival says two prominent themes have emerged among the films. The first involves “Reclaiming Black History” or “a fresh historically reflective approach to the history of black people in North America, South America and Africa”; and the second is “Europa Europa,” or “how progressive forces might best defend themselves in light of a zeitgeist that makes it seem as if yesterday never went away.”
The Panorama titles are listed below with synopses and divided by theme. The festival will run from February 9 through 17.
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
“Vazante” (Daniela Thomas, Brazil/Portugal); with Adriano Carvalho,...
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The festival says two prominent themes have emerged among the films. The first involves “Reclaiming Black History” or “a fresh historically reflective approach to the history of black people in North America, South America and Africa”; and the second is “Europa Europa,” or “how progressive forces might best defend themselves in light of a zeitgeist that makes it seem as if yesterday never went away.”
The Panorama titles are listed below with synopses and divided by theme. The festival will run from February 9 through 17.
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
“Vazante” (Daniela Thomas, Brazil/Portugal); with Adriano Carvalho,...
- 12/20/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
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