Synopsis
Faroeste Caboclo is the adaptation of the eponymous song by Renato
Russo, a famous Brazilian singer and composer who, in the style of Bob
Dylan, knew how to delight crowds by telling stories and singing with
his lyrics. The song that inspired the movie has 9 minutes, no
repeated verse and was a great success in the 80´s. The screenplay is
by Marco Bernstein (Central do Brasil) and also has the collaboration
of Paulo Lins, author of City of God. Faroeste Caboclo its a
social-romantic drama, with a tragic ending.
The story is centered in the romance between João de Santo Cristo, a
charming thief, migrant, black and poor and Maria Lúcia, a white
college girl and bored with the middle-high class. In the middle of
this romance is Jeremias, a playboy, addicted drug dealer that fights
with João for land, and the love of Maria Lúcia. The couple is
interpreted by Fabrício Boliveira and Ísis Valverde, while Felipe Abib
lives the antagonist. Set in the early '80s, the protagonist knows the
rise and fall in living this romance. In a clash of interest, drug
dealers and the police conflict with one another , while the end of
the military dictatorship in the Capital of Brasil,
Brasilia takes place. The wanderings and tedium of a young rocker, who
lived in a city still being built, are the backdrop for this story
that is played in the rhythm of Sex Pistols, Joy Division, The Clash
and other bands of the Punk movement.
The film is the feature debut of director René Sampaio, already
established in Brazil as director of advertising films. Sampaio has an
extensive career in advertising, with more than 300 commercial and
received several awards including a Silver Lion in Cannes with the
film Kitchen para a DM9/DDB. Also, he wrote, produced and directed the
2000 film Sinistro, a very successful short film winning over 15
International Awards in international festivals. In 2006 he was
elected Director of the Year by the ABP, Brazilian Advertisement
Association.