Brazil / 1958 / 106mins / Drama, Romance / Portuguese

Black Orpheus is the retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice Greek legend set in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival. Orpheus (Breno Mello), a trolley car conductor, is engaged to Mira (Lourdes de Oliveira) but in love with Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn). A vengeful Mira and Eurydice's ex-lover, costumed as Death, pursue Orpheus and Eurydice through the intense Carnival night.

Marcel Camus

Marcel Camus (21 April 1912 - 13 January 1982) was a French film director. He is best known for Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus), which won the Palme d’Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival and the 1960 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Camus was born in Chappes, Ardennes, France and died in Paris. He studied art and intended to become an art teacher. However, World War II interrupted his plans. He spent part of the war in a German prisoner-of-war camp. Prior to directing films, Camus assisted filmmakers in France, including Jacques Feyder, Luis Buñuel, and Jacques Becker. He also had his own and prolific filmography. In 1960, Camus made his second Brazilian-themed film, Os Bandeirantes (The Pioneers). Twenty years after Orfeu Negro, Camus returned to Brazilian themes for Otalia de Bahia, based on a novel by Brazilian novelist Jorge Amado. In 1970, Camus made a World War II comedy, Le Mur de l'Atlantique (The Atlantic Wall), starring the well-known French comedian Bourvil. He ended his career working primarily in television. Marcel Camus married one of the stars of Orfeu Negro, Marpessa Dawn. He is buried in Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, France. Learn More