One of the greatest ways to experience a different  culture is immersing yourself in it. But there there are other ways to learn more about a country.  

We have prepared a list of Brazilian movies: it will give you a familiarity with the language, a greater understanding of what life is like here in our country and it will immerse you in our perception of the world.

We made a list of 10 Brazilian movies available on Netflix that everybody should watch:

1- City of  God (original: Cidade de Deus) – 2002 – Fernando Meirelles

IMDb’s rate: 8,6

This movie portraits two suburban boys’ view about many aspects of organized crime in Cidade de Deus, a Brazilian community located in Rio de Janeiro. An interesting fact is that many actors of the movie were actually from Brazilian slums.

Watch the Movie Trailer in English here .

If you’d like there is also a documentary that shows how are the actors 10 years later. It’s called City of God – 10 years after (“Cidade de Deus – 10 anos depois). 

2 – Aquarius – 2016 – Kleber Mendonça Filho

IMDb’s rate: 7,5

Clara is a 65 years old woman from Recife, widow and retired. She is the last resident of Aquarius building, where she raised her children and lives most part of life. A construction company, interested in constructing a more modern building in that ground, bought all the other apartments. Clara has no reason to move from hers, and make clear that she is not going to sell her property. However, threats are done in order to make her change her mind.

Watch the movie trailer here.

3 – Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures – (original: Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus) – 2005 – Marcelo Gomes

IMDb’s rate: 7,4

Johann is a german man who, in 1942 escaped World War II and started selling aspirins in Brazil’s northeast. In his truck, he meets Ranulpho, who wants to get to Rio de Janeiro searching for better opportunities. This encounter is life changing for both characters. Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures is in the list of Best 100 Brazilian Movies of All Time, produced by Abracine (Brazilian Association of Film Critics).  

Watch the movie trailer here.

4 – Nise: The Heart of Madness (original: Nise: O Coração da Loucura) – 2015 – Roberto Beliner

IMDb’s rate: 7,7

This drama portrays the period a psychiatrist from Alagoas, Nise da Silveira (1905-1999) worked in a psychiatric hospital located in Rio de Janeiro. She was responsible for proposing the eradication of electroshock and lobotomy treatments for schizophrenic patients, but finds resistance of colleagues. At last she assumes the neglected Occupational Therapy Sector, in which she revolutionizes the way patients were being treated.

Watch the movie trailer here.

5 – Behind the Sun (original: Abril Despedaçado) – 2001 – Walter Salles

IMDb’s rate: 7,6

A drama about a young man starts to question the tradition of violence between rival families living in a remote farming community after his father plans to avenge his brother’s death. This movie won the Little Golden Lion award at the 2001 Venice Film Festival.

Watch the Movie Trailer in English here.

6- Central Station (Original: Central do Brasil) – 1998 – Walter Salles

IMDb’s rate: 8,0

A Brazilian-French drama about a journey of a Brazilian school teacher, who makes living writing letters for illiterate people and a boy whose mother just died, as they search for his unknown father. The teacher’s life starts to change as her maternal compassion starts to grown while helping the little boy.

Watch the Movie Trailer in English here 

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7- Elite Squad (original: Tropa de Elite) – 2007 – José Padilha

IMDb’s rate: 8,1

An intimate portrait of Brazilian cops merciless trying to fight against a complex of corruption involving drug dealers and criminals that exists in Brazilian slums, before the pope comes to Rio de Janeiro.

Watch the Movie Trailer in English here.

 8 –  The way he looks (original: Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) – 2014 – Daniel Ribeiro

IMDb’s rate: 7,9

The movie tells the story of a blind teenager that – while having to deal with a overprotective mother -, falls in love with his new classmate and discovers to be gay. The piece has been awarded in Berlin’s International Film Critic’s Festival. 

Watch the movie trailer here.

9 – Don’t call me son (original: Mãe Só Há Uma) – 2016 – Anna Muylaert

IMDb’s rate:6,8

After discovering the truth about being stolen by the woman he thought was his mother as a child, Pierre (AKA Felipe) must deal with the consequences of his mother’s actions and must try to cope with his biological family.

Watch the movie trailer here.

10-  Found Memories ( Original: Histórias que só existem quando lembradas) – 2011 – Júlia Murat

IMDb’s rate: 7,3

A minimalistic drama that shows the chaotic life in Jotuomba where every citizen plays an elemental role in this village but when an young photographer comes to the village and shakes up the place, the population “wakes up” for life.  It won the Best Narrative Feature Jury Award at the 2012 RiverRun International Film Festival.

Watch the Movie Trailer in English  here 

Extra movie tip: 

Do you remember the movie “Catch me if you can”?

Well, in Brazil there is a story as unbelievable as the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

VIPs tells the story of Marcelo Nascimento da Rocha, a man which lived years under false identities and convinced millions of people on national television that he owned one of the biggest Brazilian airlines.

Check the trailer here.