‘A superhero film’ is the subtitle of The Joy, the second part of a trilogy on present day Brazilian teenagers. With their juvenile energy and optimism, they emphatically resist the fatalism of older generations, who can see the end of the world approaching.
Luiza (Tainá Medina, at 16 years of age a real discovery) is at the centre of a group of schoolchildren, and tackles the evil outside world with a vivid imagination and the secret powers this brings. Luiza believes that, with enough willpower, she can walk through a wall. Her cousin João, who hides in her house after shooting himself in the foot, acts as a kind of ghostly apparition.
Felipe Bragança and Marina Meliande also resist the older generation; they’ve had enough of the realism and the penchant for 1960s ideals in Brazilian cinema. The Joy was largely made with young amateur actors and emerged from a series of workshops and rehearsals.
Film details
Country of production
Brazil
Year
2009
Festival edition
IFFR Unleashed
Length
100'
Medium/Format
35mm
Language
Portuguese
Premiere status
None
Director
Felipe Bragança, Marina Meliande
Producer
Felipe Bragança, Larissa Frigotto, Marina Meliande
Screenplay
Felipe Bragança
Cinematography
Andrea Capella
Editing
Marina Meliande
Production design
Gustavo Bragança
Sound design
Virginia Flores, Marina Meliande
Principal cast
Flora Dias
Music
Lucas Marcier
Production company
Duas Mariola Filmes, Arissas Multimidia
Sales / World rights holder
FiGa Films
Distributor NL / Benelux rights holder
Hubert Bals Fund
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