Malu de bicicleta - Brazilian film

I saw this delightful film ( Malu, the cyclist) at the Brazilian Film Festival in Buenos Aires yesterday. It is the story of Luis Mario of Sao Paulo who leads a merry Brazilian bachelor life with lots of affairs and no commitment. His lifestyle is changed when he is hit by a cycle in the Leblon beach in Rio. He falls in love with the Carioca ( inhabitant of Rio) cyclist Malu and wants to marry her. She comes to live with him in Sao Paulo but shuttles to Rio for her job. Malu is the female equivalent of Luis and is into her own adventures and tells him that while she loves him he should allow her privacy. But Luis is jealous and gets angry every time she introduces a handsome guy as her friend. His friends tell him, ¨those who are unfaithful should be prepared to face the same from others.¨ Unable to restrain Malu, Luis goes back to his old ways and casual affairs. He is caught by Malu when he has sex with her best friend. Malu gets back to Rio, only to find Luis on her cycling path again.

It is a typical love-lite Brazilian story reflecting the free spirit of the Brazilians. There is delicious romance and great humour in the backdrop of the spectacular Rio scenery.

Before this film, they showed a short Brazilian film ¨casa de horas ¨ which was also equally interesting. A old lady living alone is crying that her son forgot her birthday and cannot come to greet her. There is a phone call from a pharmacy chain salesman trying to sell her their Card. She tells him to call him the next day at 4 pm. When he calls, she starts telling him about her life. Then she starts calling him every day to talk to him, since no one else calls her and talks to her. When the salesman does not receive the call, she speaks to the other salespeople in the company telling her story. It becomes the talk of the sales team who become afraid of her calls. One day they call her house to be told by her son that she is dead. The sales team goes to the burial ground and cries. The son of the old lady is perplexed and dont know who they are. Cute little story.

I hear from my Brazilian friends that the Brazilian film industry is booming and the Brazilian audience for their films is increasing. Viva Brasil....