Alvorada - Brazil's Changing Face[1] (German: Alvorada – Aufbruch in Brasilien, lit. 'Alvorada – departure in Brazil') is a 1962 West German documentary film directed by Hugo Niebeling. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature[2] and was entered in the 1963 Cannes Film Festival.[3]
| Alvorada | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Hugo Niebeling |
| Written by | Hugo Niebeling |
| Produced by | Hugo Niebeling |
| Cinematography | Antonio Estêvão Anders Lembcke Herbert Müller |
| Edited by | Hugo Niebeling Gertrud Petermann |
| Music by | Oskar Sala Various Composers |
Production companies | Jean Manzon Films Mannesmann |
Release date |
|
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | West Germany |
| Language | German |
Overview
editThe film offers an overview of Brazil, from the history of the country to the most recent developments at the time of its making - including industrialization and the new capital Brasília. It starts with an overview of the country itself and its history, and then proceeds to the social structure and social changes brought by industrialization and other developments in recent years.[4]
Style
editThe film follows neither the camera and editing conventions of documentary films of the early 1960s nor their narrative style. Instead, it uses experimental camera and editing techniques, often set to different kinds of music and electronic sounds by Oskar Sala. The voice-over-narration (provided by Hugo Niebeling himself) only occasionally tells the viewer details about what they are seeing, often letting impressions speak for themselves. According to Hugo Niebeling, due to its tight connection of music and visual style, Alvorada is also his first "music film".[4]
Reception
edit- Melbourne International Film Festival: "A film that does not attempt to give a reasoned, historical or geographical account, but reproduces the visual and emotional impact on a sensitive mind. No technique, no angle, no method of camera transport has been left unexplored, (...) an exciting and beautiful kaleidoscope of images."[5]
Awards
edit- 1962: Oscar Nomination in the Category: "Documentary Feature". (Feature)[6]
- 1963: Bundesfilmpreis - Filmband in Gold: Best Director (Hugo Niebeling)[7]
- 1963: Bundesfilmpreis - Filmband in Gold: Best feature-length cultural- and documentary-film (Mannesmann AG)[8]
- 1963: Cannes Film Festival - Official Selection[9]
- 1964: Melbourne International Film Festival - Official Selection[10]
References
edit- ^ "NY Times: About "Alvorada"". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "NY Times: Alvorada". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2011. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Alvorada". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- ^ a b "German Historic Museum: Website of the Hugo Niebeling retrospective 2013, featuring an article about Alvorada". Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Melbourne International Film Festival: Site for Alvorada, with commentary on the film". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ^ "35th Academy Awards: List of Nominees and Winners". Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Deutscher Filmpreis: List of Winners". Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Deutscher Filmpreis: List of Winners". Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival 1963: List of Films in Competition". Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Melbourne Film Festival: Entry for Alvorada". Retrieved 19 September 2014.