Carnaval Film Festival 2025: Black Orpheus (Opening Film)
Join us on ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ, at ๐ญ๐ต.๐ฌ๐ฌ, in ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ for the opening film of the ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น: ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ (๐ข๐ฟ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ)! Winner of the Palme dโOr at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Black Orpheus is a timeless classic that brings the music, energy, and spirit of Carnaval to the big screen. The film’s vibrant portrayal of Rio de Janeiroโs Carnaval captures the transformative power of music, dance, and community.
With an introduction by Brazilian media scholar ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ฎ and the short films Pavilhao (2025, 13′, Brazil) and ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ (2025, 10′, Brazil, sneak preview!).
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ: ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ (๐ข๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ)
Date: Friday, July 11, 2025
Time: 19.00 (doors open: 18.45)
Venue: Melkweg Cinema
Title: Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro)
Year: 1959
Director: Marcel Camus
Country: Brazil, France and Italy
Duration: 100′
Language: Portuguese with English subtitles
Extra: The short films ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ (2025, 13′, Brazil) and ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ (2025, 10′, Brazil, sneak preview!)
Extra: Introduction by Brazilian media and tourism scholar ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ฎ
More info & tickets:ย https://bit.ly/carnaval-film-festival-2025-black-orpheusย (soon available)
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐
๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ (Orfeu Negro) transports the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the vibrant hillsides of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. Against a backdrop of pulsating samba, dazzling costumes, and a city alive with rhythm, the film tells the story of Orfeu, a charismatic tram driver and talented musician, who falls in love with the shy and beautiful Eurydice. As they navigate a love that blooms amid the chaos and ecstasy of Carnaval, their story unfolds with an air of inevitability, as fate, myth, and the timeless dance of life and death intertwine. ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ is a visual and musical celebration of Brazilian culture, yet also a reflection on love, loss, and the power of storytelling. Its blend of music, color, and folklore set the stage for a film, winner of the Palme dโOr at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, that has captivated audiences worldwide for over six decades. A perfect opening film for the Carnaval Film Festival, ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ invites you to immerse yourself in a cinematic experience where myth meets reality, and where joy and tragedy are inseparable.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐
Directed by Victoria Fiore, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ (2025, 13′) is a short film set in Rio de Janeiro, where Aleksia, a young woman, embarks on a mystical journey through time. Along the way, she uncovers the origins of samba, tracing its roots in the resilience, joy, spirituality, and resistance of the Afro-Brazilian community. Through Aleksiaโs eyes, Pavilhรฃo reveals how samba emerged from generations of Afro-Brazilian struggle and celebration, highlighting the powerful cultural forces that continue to shape this music and its significance today.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ (2025, 10′) offers an exclusive sneak preview of the upcoming feature-length documentary of the same name. The film explores the unprecedented cancellation of Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, marking the first time in over a century, since the Spanish Flu of 1919, that the cityโs iconic celebration fell silent. The documentary examines the profound social, economic, and political consequences of halting one of the worldโs most vibrant and unifying festivals. Through the voices of Brazilians, the film captures the heartbreak and resilience born from the absence of Carnaval. As one Carioca says, “canceling Carnaval for Brazilians is like saying God is dead.” Yet in the favelas, where the samba rhythm never fades, clandestine gatherings and defiant celebrations testify to the unbreakable spirit of a community that refuses to let its culture be erased. A moving exploration of identity, community, and resistance, The Carnaval Virus is a testament to the enduring power of samba, joy, and the fight for cultural survival. As the popular refrain goes: โDonโt let samba die!โ The Carnaval Film Festival presents a 10-minute preview of this much-anticipated documentary by Pedro Serra and Peter Henry Smith.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
The ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ invites you to a vibrant ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ celebrating and reflecting on the spirit of Carnaval worldwide. Held for the first time in Amsterdam from ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ-๐๐ฏ, this unique ๐ฏ-๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น explores how Carnaval has inspired filmmakers around the world to tell stories of joy, resistance, community, and freedom. From the dazzling parades of ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ and ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป to the rhythmic expressions of ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ, and the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป and the Prince Carnaval traditions of the ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ and ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ด๐ถ๐๐บ, Carnaval is a global phenomenon, rooted in ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐. The inaugural ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น honors the complexity, creativity and resistance of these traditions, while asking urgent questions about culture, identity, and belonging in a changing world.
The ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ features ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป-๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ at ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ and @๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ in ๐๐บ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ in the weekend of ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ญ๐ญ-๐ญ๐ฏ, as well as an extensive ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ with ๐ฑ๐ฌ+ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ on Carnaval available wordwide. From the opening night screenings of ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐, on ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ผ’๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น, and ๐ฃ๐๐ก! ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐, on ๐ง+๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น, often called ‘๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต’, to documentaries and shorts on Carnaval from across the globe, particularly in the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป (๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ถ, ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ผ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐), but also in ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ข๐ฟ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐, ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ, ๐๐ฒ๐๐ and ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐, the ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น offers a cinematic journey into the heart of the roots and rhythms of Carnaval worldwide.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐
Caribbean Creativity is an Amsterdam-based non-profit organization that, since 2008, is committed to the programming and promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema in the Netherlands. Over the years, Caribbean Creativity has hosted over 300 screenings in film theatres and at film festivals, including numerous premieres. In 2020, they hosted their first film festival, the Marley75 Film Festival, in Melkweg Cinema and various other venues across Amsterdam. That very same year, they launched YardVibes, a streaming platform featuring content from independent Caribbean and African filmmakers, where they offer over 100 titles and host online film programs, such as the annual Global Extraction Film Festival (2020-2022). The Carnaval Film Festival marks the second on-location film festival they are organizing. For more information, visitย www.caribbeancreativity.nl.
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ
Africadelic is a non-profit organization that, since 2016, is committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands. Each year on and around International Africa Day (May 25), they organize the Africacadelic Festival in Paradiso and various other partner venues across Amsterdam. This year, the 10th edition of the festival was held from May 21-31, 2025, with a special focus on the 50th anniversary of independence (1975) of five African countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Sรฃo Tomรฉ & Prรญncipe, and the Comoros) as well as Suriname. In addition, they are (co-)organizing one-off events throughout the year, including the inaugural Carnaval Film Festival. For more information, visitย www.africadelic.com.
