Carandiru (2003)

Director:

Hector Babenco

Writers:

Hector Babenco (writer)
Fernando Bonassi (writer)

Release Date:

11 April 2003 (Brazil)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Plot:

Brazilian MD Drauzio Varella starts AIDS prevention in Brazil's largest prison, Carandiru, in São Paulo...

Plot Keywords:

Brazil | Doctor | Bare Butt | Blood | Demolition

Awards:

12 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos	...	Physician
Milton Gonçalves	...	Chico
Ivan de Almeida	...	Ebony
Ailton Graça	...	Majestade
Maria Luisa Mendonça	...	Dalva
Aida Leiner	...	Rosirene
Rodrigo Santoro	...	Lady Di
Gero Camilo	...	No Way
Lázaro Ramos	...	Ezequiel
Caio Blat	...	Deusdete
Wagner Moura	...	Zico
Júlia Ianina	...	Francineide
Sabrina Greve	...	Catarina
Floriano Peixoto	...	Antônio Carlos
Ricardo Blat	...	Claudiomiro

Also Known As:

Carandirú (Argentina)
Carandiru: O Filme (Brazil) (trailer title)
Carandiru (Greece) (festival title) [el]
Carandiru (Spain) [es]
Carandiru (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Fylakes Carandiru (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Fylakes Carandiru, i mera tis sfagis (Greece) (festival title) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence/carnage, language, sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

145 min | France:148 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

Brazil | Argentina

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Hungary:16 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Italy:T | Canada:18A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Carandiru Prision, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Company:

BR Petrobrás

Trivia:

The real Carandiru prison was demolished in 2002, it will be transformed into a park with arts facilities. One block (#2) was left intact to be used as a museum. The film was the last thing they used the prison before demolishing 90% of it.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the film the Corinthians (a traditional soccer team) symbol is shown prominently in flags and shirts with four stars; three for the Brazilian cups they won until 2003 and one for the world championship in 2000. However, in 1992 they had only won one Brazilian cup and no world title, so the symbol should have a lone star.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Dona da História (2004)

The Dramatization of the Greatest Massacre of Prisoners in the World

Carandiru is the true story of the greatest massacre of prisoners in the world. It happened in 1992, in São Paulo, after a rebellion in the greatest Brazilian penitentiary. Doctor Drauzio Varella has written a successful best-seller about this sad event. The great Brazilian naturalized director Hector Babenco (from `Pixote', `Kiss of the Spider Woman', `Lúcio Flávio' etc.), with the support of a fantastic cast, presented a good movie about this wound in our society. The screenplay presents some personal dramas of some prisoners before the invasion of the prison by the Military Police and execution of one hundred and eleven (111) prisoners. The double Brazilian DVD is magnificent:, presenting not only the usual making-of, interviews, deleted scenes and errors, but also the TV News in 1992 after the slaughter. My vote is eight.