IMDb > Como Era Gostoso o Meu Francês (1971)

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Writers:
Humberto Mauro (Tupi dialogue)
Nelson Pereira dos Santos (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Como Era Gostoso o Meu Francês on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Tagline:
The Beginning of the Exploitation of Brazil
Plot:
In 1594 in Brazil, the Tupinambás Indians are friends of the Frenches and their enemies are the Tupiniquins... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
User Reviews:
Cultural differences, third cinema acceptance more (12 total)

Cast

  (in credits order)
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Directed by
Nelson Pereira dos Santos 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Humberto Mauro  Tupi dialogue
Nelson Pereira dos Santos  writer

Produced by
Luiz Carlos Barreto .... producer
K.M. Eckstein .... producer
Nelson Pereira dos Santos .... producer
César Thedim .... producer
 
Original Music by
Guilherme Magalhães Vaz 
Zé Rodrix 
 
Cinematography by
Dib Lutfi 
 
Film Editing by
Carlos Alberto Camuyrano 
 
Set Decoration by
Régis Monteiro 
 
Costume Design by
Mara Chaves 
María Chaves 
 
Makeup Department
Ren Boechat .... makeup artist
Ana Correia da Silva .... makeup artist
Hélio Fernando .... makeup artist
Nilde Maria Goebel .... makeup artist
Janira Santiago .... makeup artist
José Soares .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Irênio Marques .... production manager
Chris Rodrigues .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Luiz Carlos Lacerda .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Antônio César .... sound effects editor
Geraldo José .... sound effects editor
Nelson Ribeiro .... sound
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Ronaldo Nunes .... assistant camera
 
Other crew
Raimundo Bandeira de Melo .... production assistant
Carlos Alberto Diniz .... production assistant
Pedro Aurélio Gentil .... production assistant
Luiz Carlos Ripper .... ethnographical consultant
Antonio Luis Soares .... production assistant
Waldir Surtan .... title designer
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
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Runtime:
84 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Almost all the dialogs is in an Indian language called Tupi. more

FAQ

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6 out of 8 people found the following review useful.
Cultural differences, third cinema acceptance, 15 September 2004
Author: Matt Hurst from St Louis, MO, USA

Nelson Pereira dos Santos' 'Como Era Gostoso o Meu Francês' (renamed 'How tasty was my little Frenchman' for its US release) is a good example of the cultural centrism and the difficulties in translation of the movement towards a new cinema. In it's realistic, non-judgmental portrayal of 16th century Brazil, Santos is able to speak for people who could never have spoken to us today. Yet the differences in culture on the natives of that land are difficult to understand through the lens in which history is written by its victors.

Santos' involvement in the cinema novo style is immediately apparent, as it manifests in photographic realism. The lighting in each frame looks entirely natural (and than likely it only uses natural light) and camera movement is limited if any happened at all. Sound is clear and loud, but the near absence of post-production sound effects immerses the viewer in voices and nature. The main exception to the natural style of the film is the occasional inclusion of tribal music in the background, which use some reed-type instrument that might not be accurate for the tribal theme.

The main obstacle for the viewer is a culture that they have very little concept of before the film. Unlike Hollywood films that sanitize their portrayal of native Americans with stereotypical clothing, Santos' rightly presents the native peoples' of Brazil as they were – without clothes. At times the film looks more like an issue of national geographic than a fictional story. The indifference to the tribe's practice of cannibalism not only comes from the perspective of the tribe, but even the Portugese in the film act in apathy towards it. If anything, the film comes just short of glorifying cannibalism until it justifies the act through vengeful rights. Indeed the mistaken Frenchman too accepts his place in the history of the oppressed natives, and as our protagonist he leads the audience to accepting it as well. The marriage of the tribe's woman and the Frenchman parallels Brazil's past and future, but in some ways encourages that a co-existence is possible if tolerance can be given. All of these cultural differences form a boundary to the audience that can be broken down if one can accept the history of oppression and integrate them into the themes of acceptance in the film.

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