Cinema for Portuguese Conversation

Designed for courses in which outstanding films from the Portuguese speaking world are used as springboards for classroom discussion. Cinema for Portuguese Conversation uses Brazilian, Portuguese, and Lusophone African cinema to enhance the study of Portuguese language and culture, including the sertão, urban violence, political transitions, women, and the mythological legend of Orpheus. Fourteen feature films are covered, drawn largely from modern Brazilian film, but also examples from Cape Verde and Portugal. Each chapter covers a single film, its vocabulary and language, as well as discussion of the cultural implications.

Cinema for Portuguese Conversation is a textbook for intermediate and advanced students of Portuguese that uses film as the basis for teaching vocabulary, strengthening oral and written skills, and presenting Lusophone culture. The book is divided into five sections reflecting major themes in Brazilian, Portuguese, and Lusophone African cinema: the sertão (backlands), urban violence, political transitions, women, and the mythological legend of Orpheus. The movies come from different cinematic periods from 1959 until 2003, and some are available on dvd from wor.com.

Includes these films:
1. O Caminho das Nuvens (2003) Vicente Amorim
Leitura: "Entrevista com Padre Cícero"
2. Central do Brasil (1998) Walter Salles
Leitura: "Expansão Pentecostal no Brasil: O caso da Igreja Universal"
3. Vidas Secas (1963) Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Leitura: "Baleia" A Violência Urbana
4. Carandiru (2003) Hector Babenco
Leitura: "Rita Cadillac"
5. Ônibus 174 (2002) José Padilha, Felipe Lacerda
Leitura: "Chacina da Candelária completa dez anos"
6. Cidade de Deus (2002) Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
Leitura: "O extermínio de meninos de rua no Brasil" As Transições Políticas
7. O Que é Isso, Companheiro? (1997) Bruno Barreto
Leitura: "Modos e instrumentos de tortura"
8. Terra Estrangeira (1996) Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
Leitura: "O primeiro impeachment"
9. O Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno(1997) Franciso Manso
10. Capitães de Abril (2000) Maria de Medeiros
Leitura: "Os comunicados do 25 de abril (O M.F.A. através do Rádio Clube Português)" A Mulher
11. Dona Flor E Seus Dois Maridos (1976) Bruno Barreto
Leitura: Receita bahiana
12. Eu Tu Eles (2000) Andrucha Waddington
Leitura: "Luta pelos direitos das mulheres"
A Adaptação do Mito de Orfeu
13. Orfeu Negro(1959) Marcel Camus
Leitura: "Candomblê e orixas"
14. Orfeu (1999) Carlos Diegues
Leitura: "Entrevista com Carlos (Cacá) Diegues"
Index: Os Melhores Filmes Lusofonas