Join us for our first annual Bahia Revisited Film Festival featuring:

• Philadelphia premier showing of "Besouro Preto" (click here for more info)
• Q & A Session with Salim Rollins, Director of "Besouro Preto"
• Screening of Brazilian epic "Quilombo" (click here for more info)
• Raffle Drawing*
  

* All proceeds will be used in support of the International Capoeira Angola Foundation (a non-profit organization). For more information click here.

Besouro Preto

Directed by Salim Rollins

In the northeastern state of Bahia, Brazil lies a region of fertile lands spread around the city of Salvador, called the Reconcovo.  During slavery, the area was recognized for its high yields of sugarcane.  From the small town of Santo Amaro, located in Bahia's Reconcovo, comes the legend of a man steeped in African spiritual tradition, a Capoeirista (practitioner of the movement/martial art Capoeira) who took it upon himself to challenge those who abused their  power.  Some say he was noble, others a troublemaker who disrespected the powers of authority. 

There is no doubt that Besouro Preto (Black Beetle) was a historic figure in Bahia's Reconcovo. But where does the historic figure end and the myth begin? 

Besouro Preto looks deeply into the mysterious world of Capoeira, it's historic evolution from Africa to Brazil, its spiritual/religious traditions, its  philosophy and then into the life of one of its biggest enigmas: Besouro Preto . 

In depth interviews were conducted with some of the most important Masters of the discipline as well as historic and religious scholars.  Few documentaries have attempted to delve into the world of Capoeira mysticism.  Through the stories and historic findings that are revealed, new light is shed on African Diaspora history and African spiritual traditions in Brazil.

Noted filmmaker Gordon Parks served as Executive Producer and Joshua Bee Alafia was the director of photography for Besouro Preto .

(In Portuguese with English subtitles)  

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Directed by Carlos Diegues

Based on the true story of the "Quilombo dos Palmares" (The Black Nation of Palm Trees), the independent republic that was established in Brazil during the 17th century by Africans who had escaped from slavery.

The Quilombo dos Palmares accommodated more than 20,000 Africans and native Brazilian Indians who had fled from enslavement by the Portuguese and Dutch in the northeastern region of Brazil. Occupying a large area between Pernambuco and Alagoas, Palmares had an organized government system headed by a warrior king.

In Palmares, the escaped Africans strove to maintain their cultural roots and traditions. Their resilience enabled them to resist attacks by the colonial authorities for around one hundred years, from 1590, when the first news of the uprisings came out, to the end of the 1600's, when Palmares was destroyed.

"Quilombo" centers around the two most famous warrior kings of Palmares -Ganga Zumbi and his successor, Zumbi.

(In Portuguese with English subtitles)

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