Brazil's Maria Bethânia

Documentary · 2001

This is a journey of friendship, an Argentinian is going to rediscover his continent while searching for his friend from Bahia. And while the work, the records and the career of this great lady of Brazilian music are well known, the starting point, the training, the first years remained till now in a vaguely legendary and imprecise blur. Thanks to many investigations that concern as many places as times, thanks to journeys back in time through the towns and regions, the film seeks the origins of Maria Bethânia’s voice and style. Helped and led by Bethânia herself, with the assistance of Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque, the two princes of Brazilian music, along with the complicity of the great Gilberto Gil, the author is allowed to go to the first context : the North-East. In the family home in Santo Amaro, the film finally touches the childhood of Maria Bethânia – and her brother Caetano, and this mysterious point – from which the music radiates.

Starring

Maria Bethânia, Francis Wargnier, Hugo Santiago, Caetano Veloso, Luís Abramo, Chico Buarque, Stéphane Huter, Gilberto Gil, Sophie Faudel, Naná Vasconcelos

Director

Hugo Santiago