O Zelador (The Caretaker)
Synopsis
At an early age Mestre Russo discovered the value of Capoeira. The music, self-defence and philosophy of this Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestation helped him endure a life fraught with danger and hardship.
The film follows Mestre Russo, his wife and sons and his loyal group of students who claim that Russo's love, knowledge and guidance have been an inspiration to them. He is a father-figure to each of them. They, in turn, have provided him with the extended family which he sought.
Russo holds a meeting every Sunday, a 'Roda' (literally circle) in Caxias, where people come and perform Capoeira in the street. This Roda endured the oppressive regime during the dictatorship and has survived for 35 years up until today.
The film includes interviews with Russo, his family, students, other Masters as well as journalists, academics and a Candomble priest. These interviews, together with archive footage and photographs chart the turbulent history of Capoeira and sets it in its cultural, social and political context told through the life of this remarkable man.
Details
- Year
- 2008
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 83 mins
- Format
- DVCam/Super8
- Director
-
Daren Bartlett 1st Feature
- Producer
- Abigail Clarke
- Editor
- Daren Bartlett
- Director of Photography
- Daren Bartlett
- Composer
- Corker/Conboy
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Bantam Films
White CottageGreen Lane
Boughton Monchelsea
Maidstone
Kent ME17 4LF
UK
T +44 (0)7860 960969
Page updates
This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.
See also
You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.
Cadência
Director: Daren Bartlett
Year: 2010
Cadência is the second Brazilian documentary from director Daren Bartlett. Cadência builds an intimate picture of Brazilian football and its related cultures, divisions, traditions and what is the firm cohesion that creates the strong unified image Brazil projects to the world. The film's stunning cinematography immerses the viewer in the sights and sounds, the rhythm, the cadence of a city as it winds up for carnival, the biggest celebration of the year. Insightful and passionate commentary from the late Brazilian football legend Socrates, combined with academics, artists and last but not least the people, combine to make this a powerful and poignant documentary, simply a beautiful film.
About an Intimate Matter
Director: Sandeep Kumar Paul
Year: 2026
Science teacher Swarna and her partner Driti move to a suburban town for a fresh start. When a student leaks intimate photos of Swarna online, school authorities turn her private life into a disciplinary issue. Official Selection Busan International Film Festival 2026 - World premiere
Clocks
Director: Yv Shells
Year: 2026
When Arlo arrives to find Marcus has cooked someone else’s favourite meal, a single question begins to unravel an evening that refuses to stay in the present. Through a fractured timeline set entirely within one dining room, we move between Marcus and Arlo and the relationship that came before, with Una, the woman he met at a late-night bus stop and once talked about marrying. The same table, the same chairs, the same arguments about trust, honesty and what it means to truly see someone. As the timelines bleed together, it becomes clear that Marcus has never fully left the past, and that Una’s ghost sits at every table he sets. When Arlo asks what her own favourite meal is and he cannot answer, the film’s quiet devastation lands completely. CLOCKS is a portrait of a man who loves generously but sees poorly, and the women who carry the cost. It asks what we owe the person in front of us while we are still in love with someone we lost, and whether a feeling ever truly ends.