“Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas”

Screening Time--7:00 pm

Directed by André Klotzel

Starring Reginaldo Faria and Débora Duboc

(In Portuguese with English subtitles)

To the Worm Who...
Gnawed the Cold Flesh
of My Corpse...
I Dedicate
As a Nostalgic Rememberance...
These Posthumous Memoirs

Brás Cubas, 1881

Published in 1881 and considered to be one of the more noteworthy novels of Brazil’s most important author of the XIX century, Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas comes now to the screen through the hands of director André Klotzel.

Set in a rigorous re-construction of the epoch, Posthumous Memoirs (Memórias Póstumas) tells the story of Brás Cubas, an ordinary man who returns from the grave to revisit his life in the guise of a sarcastic and good-humored ghost that relives, observes, interferes and analyzes his life with merciless self-criticism.

True to the humor, irony, levity as well as the liberty of Machado’s texts, Posthumous Memoirs is set in the scenarios where the Carioca (those born in Rio de Janeiro) elite socialized at the end of the XIX century and deals with the more important incidents in the country’s history at the time.

Posthumous Memoirs features Reginaldo Faria in a double role – he is the mature Brás Cubas as well as his ghost, while Petrônio Gontijo is the young Brás Cubas. The cast also includes Viétia Rocha (Virgília), Otávio Müller (Lôbo Neves), Stepan Nercessian (Bento Cubas), Walmor Chagas (Doutor Villaça), Marcos Caruso (Quincas Borba), Débora Duboc (Dona Eusébia) and Nilda Spencer (Dona Plácida). Sonia Braga, guest star, plays Marcela, Brás Cubas’s first love.

André Klotzel accumulates the responsibilities of director, producer, screenplay writer and editor of the film, and counts on Mônica Schmiedt as executive producer and Patrick Leblanc as delegated producer. The dialogues in the film were written by José Roberto Torero, photography by Pedro Farkas, art direction by Adrian Cooper, scenography by Roberto Mainieri and costumes by Marjorie Gueller.

Filming was initiated in October 1998, after an 8 month preparation period, and continued for 12 weeks, with locations in Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Coimbra in Portugal.

A Cinematográfica Superfilmes production in co-production with Lusa Filmes/Cinemate (Portugal), TV Cultura and Consórcio Europa. The film represented Brazil in the Berlin Festival of 2001 in the Panorama category.

 

Cast
Bras Cubas and his ghost Reginaldo Faria
Brás Cubas when young Petrônio Gontijo
Brás Cubas as a child Alfredo Silva
Virgília Viétia Rocha
Marcela Sonia Braga
Eugênia Milena Toscano
Lobo Neves Otávio Müller
Quincas Borba Marcos Caruso
Bento Cubas Stepan Nercessian
Dona Eusébia Débora Duboc
Doutor Villaça Walmor Chagas
Dona Plácida Nilda Spencer
Nhá Loló Ana Abott
Brás Cubas’s mother Joana Schnitman

Credits
Director and Producer André Klotzel
Executive Producer Mônica Schmiedt
Delegated Producer Patrick Leblanc
Production Manager Tereza Gonzales
Screenplay André Klotzel
Dialogs José Roberto Torero
Director of Photography Pedro Farkas
Art Director Adrian Cooper
Scenographer Roberto Mainieri
Costumes Marjorie Gueller
Editor André Klotzel
Music Producer Mario Manga

Original Title: Memórias Póstumas
Original Language: Portuguese

Production: Cinematográfica Superfilmes Ltda.
Co-production: Lusa Filmes/Cinemate (Portugal), PIC TV/Fundação Padre Anchieta, Quanta, Consórcio Europa.
Sponsors: BR Distribuidora, Eletrobrás, Copel.
Investors: Banespa, BNDES.

Recommended minimum age: 12 years old.

Brazil. 2000. 102 min. Dolby SRD.