SATURDAY IN COPACABANA
by Bruno Ribeiro
During a night out in Copacabana, a thirty-something pianist, prone to inner turmoil, runs into an old flame just as a major turning point is looming in her life. The bustling streets, music, and the memories stir emotions she thought were forgotten. At dawn, she must choose between the comfort of the present and the pull of an unfinished past.
Choosing an aesthetic close to his latest short film (Manhã de Domingo, 2022), Bruno Ribeiro’s Saturday in Copacabana is a musical comedy that paints a dreamlike portrait of a nighttime stroll through the iconic neighbourhood of Copacabana, drawing inspiration from popular Brazilian cinema of the 1950s – the cachandas. The story unfolds in a very specific frame, both in terms of space and time, calling to mind films such as Cleo from 5 to 7 and Before Sunset, in which the city itself becomes a living character that shapes the protagonist’s journey. With the energetic rhythm of screwball comedy, the film blends witty humour and sharp dialogues, balancing the lightness and the emotional depth of inner turmoil. More than just a realistic portrait, it captures a mysterious and alluring Copacabana, with its mostly Black population, in which past and present overlap and the bustling streets turn into a joyful celebration of life, far from the fear of urban violence.
