17 MOVIES FOR YOU TO TRAVEL TO AND MISS RIO DURING THIS QUARANTINE

While we're in quarantine, idleness can often leave us at a loss as to what to do. And instead of staying tuned to the news, which in fact isn't very encouraging, we can pay tribute to culture, art and, above all, Brazilian culture. That's why I've put together 16 movies for you to travel to and miss Rio during this quarantine. The last one is a surprise bonus.

It's no news to anyone that Rio is the setting for soap operas and movies, right?

For this reason, there's nothing fairer than feeling nostalgic (for us cariocas) while we're in quarantine and can't wander around remembering the corners of this cinematic city, especially in those moments when we don't know what to do. But I'm also thinking of those who don't yet know about traveling a little more in these beautiful settings. After all, when this quarantine is over and we can start traveling again, it will be nice to have more opportunities to stimulate our economy.
There are many films, many settings and it was very difficult to choose, but here's a list of the films that make me sigh and travel.

This list includes classics, Oscar winners and, to celebrate when the quarantine is over, a movie that is yet to open in Brazilian cinemas. So let's take a look at the list I've put together.

1- City of God

In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men follow different paths. Buscapé is a photographer who records the violent daily life of the place, and Zé Pequeno is an ambitious drug dealer.

Release date: August 30, 2002 (Brazil)

Direction: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund

Cast: Leandro Firmino, Alice Braga, Alexandre Rodrigues, Seu Jorge, Phellipe Haagensen

Genre: Drama

2- Elite Squad

The captain of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police's special force is training two new recruits to succeed him.

Release date: October 5, 2007 (Brazil)

Direction:José Padilha

Cast: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira, Maria Ribeiro

Genre: Police, Action

3- Once upon a time

A boy from the favela who works in a kiosk on a prestigious beach in Rio de Janeiro falls in love with the daughter of a millionaire. They pursue their romance despite the objections of the girl's father.

Release date: July 25, 2008 (Brazil)

Direction: Breno Silveira

Cast: Thiago Martins, Vitória Frate, Rocco Pitanga, Cyria Coentro

Genre: Drama, Romance

4- Rio

Captured by animal smugglers when she was just born, the macaw named Blu never learned to fly and lives a happy domesticated life in Minnesota, USA, with her owner, Linda. Blu thinks she is the last macaw of her species, but when they discover that Jewel, a female, lives in Rio de Janeiro, Blu and Linda go to meet her. The smugglers capture Blu and Jewel, but the birds escape and begin a risky adventure to freedom.

Release date: April 8, 2011 (Brazil)

Direction: Carlos Saldanha

Cast/Voices: Jessé Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Rodrigo Santoro

Genre: Animation

5- Have you eaten?

Three friends go through phases in their relationships. Fernando is trying to deal with a divorce, while Honório is suspicious of his wife's betrayal and Afonsinho wants to overcome his dating block.

Release date: June 20, 2012 (Brazil)

Direction: Felipe Joffily

Cast:

Bruno Mazzeo, Marcos Palmeira, Emílio Orciollo Neto, Dira Paes 

Genre: Comedy

6- Overwhelming

Laura's professional life is going very well, unlike her love life. Ever since she was cheated on by her boyfriend, she hasn't been able to find the right man. Willing to put an end to this situation, Laura asks a marriage agency for help.

Release date: 2002 (Worldwide)

Direction: Mara Mourão

Cast: Giovanna Antonelli, Caco Ciocler, Reynaldo Gianecchini, Ingrid Guimarães

Genre: Comedy, Romance

7- How to be Single

In the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro, a journalist who has trouble getting close to women receives advice from a friend, a typical beach boy who usually gets on well with the opposite sex. He meets a lonely young woman and the two spend the night together. However, his counselor advises him to disappear for two weeks and look for other women. As a result, the young woman ends up getting close to the journalist's sexual guru and confusion ensues.

Release date: January 30, 1998 (Brazil)

Direction: Rosane Svartman

Cast: Antonio Pitanga, Fernando Gabeira, Cássia Linhares   

Genre: Comedy

8- Crazy to Get Married

Malu, 40, had the perfect life until she fell in love with Samuel, her ideal man. After three years of dating him, no marriage proposal. One day, she notices that his stock of condoms is missing. Suspicious, Malu hires a private detective and discovers that Samuel has not just one, but two mistresses. It remains to be seen who he will take to the altar: Malu, Lucia, a nightclub dancer, or Maria, a religious fanatic.

Release date: January 1, 2015 (Brazil)

Direction: Roberto Santucci

Cast: Ingrid Guimarães, Marcio Garcia, Tatá Werneck

Genre: Comedy

9- Vai que Cola

Valdomiro Lacerda runs a scam and, to escape the police, ends up hiding in Dona Jô's boarding house in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. His ex-partner has a plan for Valdo to recover his penthouse facing the sea in Leblon, but the gang from the suburbs go along and cause a lot of trouble in Brazil's most expensive neighborhood.

Release date: October 1, 2015 (Brazil)

Direction: César Rodrigues

Cast: Samantha Schmütz, Marcus Majella, Emiliano D'Ávila, Cacau Protásio, Paulo Gustavo

Genre: Comedy

10- River Boy

Ricardo, a surfer from Rio de Janeiro, gets involved with a rich high-society girl who consequently keeps a secret about her past. However, in order to live out their romance, they must first face the prejudice of her family and the turmoil created by her ex-fiancé.

Release date: January 14, 1982 (Brazil)

Direction: Antônio Calmon

Cast: André de Biase, Cláudia Magno, Ricardo Graça Mello, Nina de Pádua, Cissa Guimarães, Claudia Ohana

Genre: Adventure

11- Cazuza - O Tempo não Para

The story of Agenor, known as Cazuza, a talented young man who always wanted to make the most of all the emotions in life. The movie shows Cazuza's career, from his days with the band Barão Vermelho to his solo career as a singer and songwriter. The feature film also shows the artist's fight against AIDS.

Release date: June 11, 2004 (Brazil)

Direction: Sandra Werneck, Walter Carvalho

Cast: Daniel de Oliveira, Marieta Severo, Leandra Leal, Reginaldo Faria, Andréa Beltrão

Genre: Biographical Drama

12- Sex, Love and Betrayal

Initially, it tells the story of two couples dealing with their marital problems. They also have to deal with the arrival of important people from their past. There will be a lot of confusion.

Release date: January 1, 2004 (Brazil)

Direction: Jorge Fernando

Cast: Alessandra Negrini, Betty Faria, Caco Ciocler, Fábio Assunção, Heloísa Périssé, Malu Mader

Genre: Comedy

13- Central Station

Dora, a bitter former teacher, makes a living writing letters to illiterate people, who dictate what they want to tell their families. She pockets the money without even posting the letters. One day, Josué, the nine-year-old son of one of her clients, ends up alone when his mother is killed in a bus accident. She is reluctant to take care of the boy, but joins him on a journey through the northeastern countryside to find Josué's father, whom he has never met.

Release date: April 3, 1998 (Brazil)

Direction: Walter Salles

Cast: Fernanda Montenegro, Vinícius de Oliveira   

Genre: Drama

14- Unwind

Young Priscila thinks she's too normal. She takes advantage of her mother's trip and decides that she's going to put an end to her boredom. Among the many changes she wants to make in her life, losing her virginity seems to be one of the priorities.

Release date: 2011 (Worldwide)
Direction: Rosane Svartman

Cast: Olívia Torres, Lucas Salles, Juliana Paiva, Kayky Brito

Genre: Romantic Comedy

15- Any Cat Can Eat

After being spurned by her spoiled, womanizing boyfriend, Tati looks for ways to win him back. To do so, she seeks out Conrado, a biology professor who defends a controversial thesis on human emotional conquests and the attitudes of animals.

Release date: June 10, 2011 (Brazil)

Direction: Tomás Portella, Daniela De Carlo

Cast: Cleo Pires, Dudu Azevedo, Malvino Salvador, Rita Guedes.

Genre: Romantic Comedy

16- Upside Down

After being abandoned by her husband João and fired from her job, Alice goes into partnership with Marcela, her neighbor and owner of an erotic articles store.

Release date: December 25, 2010 (Brazil)

Direction: Roberto Santucci

Cast: Ingrid Guimarães, Bruno Garcia, Maria Paula, Rodrigo Candelot

Genre: Comedy

And to finish off and celebrate our return to the streets as soon as the quarantine is over, in order to get back to our lives, soon in theaters, a movie that was going to be released in April 2020 but has been postponed and still has no date.

17- She's not normal up close

Pressured by everyone, Suzie, at the age of 40, has completely distanced herself from the sensitive and creative girl she was as a child. Now, years later and covered in various archetypes of the perfect woman, she begins a long search for herself.

Release date: Not confirmed

Directed by Cininha de Paula

Cast: Suzana Pires, Cristina Pereira, Marcos Caruso, Marcelo Serrado

Genre: Comedy

Considerations of this quarantine

Well folks, humanity has unexpectedly been taken by surprise and although we are in quarantine and sometimes don't know what to do, there are thousands of tips to make the most of this time. But the truth is that we don't need to feel overwhelmed or upset when faced with thousands of options. First of all, I believe that this quarantine has come to teach us to travel a little more to the place that matters most - which is our inner selves.

So make this quarantine your moment, don't feel obliged to watch the thousands of movies, take all the courses and the endless other options we've been given on how to do it. This is likely to make us more anxious and thus lead to frustration. In other words: enjoy it in the way that is most comfortable for you so that it passes as smoothly as possible.

Big kiss,

Karol Teles

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and enjoy all our trips in real time.
Ahhh we also have lots of news every week this way!
Or travel with us in our videos on YouTube!