Xica

1976 film directed by Carlos Diegues

This article is about the film. For the biography, see Chica da Silva.

Xica

Brazilian Portuguese| Xica da Silva
Directed by| Carlos Diegues
Written by| Antonio Callado
Carlos Diegues
Based on| Xica da Silva by João Felício dos Santos
Produced by| Jarbas Barbosa
Airton Correa
Hélio Ferraz
José Oliosi
Starring| Zezé Motta
Walmor Chagas
José Wilker
Elke Maravilha
Stepan Nercessian
Cinematography| José Medeiros
Edited by| Mair Tavares
Music by| Jorge Ben Jor
Roberto Menescal

Production
companies

J.B. Produções
Distrifilmes

Distributed by| Embrafilme

Release date

* September 6, 1976 (1976-09-06)[1]

Running time

| 107 minutes
Country| Brazil
Language| Portuguese

Xica (Portuguese: Xica da Silva) is a 1976 Brazilian comedy film directed and written by Carlos Diegues, based on the novel by João Felício dos Santos, which is a romanticized retelling of the true story of Chica da Silva,[2] an 18th-century slave in Brazil, who attracts the attention of a powerful Portuguese land-owner and eventually rises into the Brazilian high society. The movie stars Zezé Motta, Walmor Chagas and José Wilker.

It was chosen as the Brazilian submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 49th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[3]

## Plot

[edit]

The film is based on the novel Memórias do Distrito de Diamantina, written by João Felicio dos Santos (who has a small role in the film as a Roman Catholic pastor). It is a romanticized retelling of the true story of Chica da Silva,[2] an 18th-century African slave in the state of Minas Gerais, who attracts the attention of João Fernandes de Oliveira, a Portuguese sent by Lisbon with the Crown's exclusive contract for mining diamonds, and eventually becomes his lover, rises into power and into the Brazilian high society of the time. Moreover, João quickly lets the intendant and other authorities know that he can be bribed, and gets onto their corruption scheme. Eventually Lisbon hears of João's (and Xica's) excesses and sends an inspector. José, a political radical, is another main character, who provides Xica refuge.

## Cast

[edit]

* Zezé Motta as Xica da Silva (based on Chica da Silva)
* Walmor Chagas as João Fernandes
* Altair Lima as Intendent
* Elke Maravilha as Hortência
* Stepan Nercessian as José
* Rodolfo Arena as Sargeant
* José Wilker as The Count of Valadares
* Marcos Vinicius as Teodoro
* João Felicio dos Santos as pastor

## TV adaptation

[edit]

In 1996, the now defunct TV station Rede Manchete successfully adapted the film plot to the telenovela format, directed by Walter Avancini, written by Walcyr Carrasco and starring Taís Araújo as the title character. This telenovela marked the first time an Afro-Brazilian actress played the lead role on a TV show. In 2005, SBT re-aired Xica da Silva.

## See also

[edit]

* List of submissions to the 49th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
* List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Xica da Silva" (in Portuguese). Cinemateca Brasileira. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
2. ^ a b http://dicionarioegramatica.com/2015/12/06/chica-ou-xica-da-silva-o-certo-e-xica-ou-chica-da-silva/ Archived 2020-06-05 at the Wayback Machine Chica ou Xica da Silva? in: DicionarioeGramatica.com
3. ^ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

## Sources

[edit]

Gordon, Richard (2005). "Allegories of Resistance and Reception in Xica da Silva". Luso-Brazilian Review. 42 (1): 44–60\. doi:10.1353/lbr.2005.0028. JSTOR 3514051. S2CID 143867441.

## External links

[edit]

* Xica at IMDb
* Xica at Rotten Tomatoes

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Carlos Diegues

* Cinco Vezes Favela (1962)
* Ganga Zumba (1964)
* The Big City (1966)
* The Inheritors (1969)
* Quando o Carnaval Chegar (1972)
* Joanna Francesa (1973)
* Xica (1976)
* A Summer Rain (1978)
* Bye Bye Brazil (1979)
* Quilombo (1984)
* Subway to the Stars (1987)
* Better Days Ahead (1989)
* Tieta of Agreste (1996)
* Orfeu (1999)
* God Is Brazilian (2003)
* The Greatest Love of All (2006)
* The Great Mystical Circus (2018)

* v
* t
* e

Candango Award for Best Feature Film

1965—1969|

* Memória de Helena (1969)
* The Red Light Bandit (1968)
* Proezas de Satanás na Vila de Leva e Tráz (1967)
* Todas as Mulheres do Mundo (1966)
* The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965)

1970—1979|

* Of Gods and the Undead (1970)
* A Casa Assassinada (1971)
* Guerra Conjugal (1975)
* Xica (1976)
* Tenda dos Milagres (1977)
* Tudo Bem (1978)
* Muito Prazer (1979)

1980—1989|

* Iracema: Uma Transa Amazônica (1980)
* O Homem do Pau-Brasil (1981)
* Tabu (1982)
* O Mágico e o Delegado (1983)
* Nunca Fomos tão Felizes (1984)
* Hour of the Star (1985)
* A Cor do Seu Destino (1986)
* Night Angels (1987)
* Memória Viva/O Mentiroso (1988)
* Que Bom Te Ver Viva (1989)

1990—1999|

* Beijo 2348/72 (1990)
* O Corpo (1991)
* A Maldição do Sanpaku (1992)
* Alma Corsária (1993)
* Louco por Cinema (1994)
* The Jew (1995)
* Perfumed Ball (1996)
* Miramar/Anahy de las Misiones (1997)
* Love and Co (1998)
* Santo Forte (1999)

2000—2009|

* Brainstorm (2000)
* To the Left of the Father/Samba Riachão (2001)
* Mango Yellow (2002)
* Filme de Amor (2003)
* Peões (2004)
* Eu me Lembro (2005)
* Baixio das Bestas (2006)
* Cleópatra (2007)
* FilmeFobia (2008)
* É Proibido Fumar (2009)

2010—present|

* O Céu Sobre os Ombros (2010)
* Hoje (2011)
* Otto / They'll Come Back / Once Upon a Time Was I, Verônica (2012)
* Exilados do Vulcão / O Mestre e o Divino (2013)
* Branco Sai, Preto Fica (2014)
* Big Jato (2015)
* A cidade onde envelheço (2016)
* Araby (2017)
* Long Way Home (2018)

There was no award in 1972, 1973, 1974.

* v
* t
* e

Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

1960—1999|

* Death Commands Brigandage (1960)
* Keeper of Promises (1962)
* Black God, White Devil (1964)
* São Paulo Incorporated (1965)
* Case of the Naves Brothers (1967)
* The Amorous Ones (1968)
* Antonio das Mortes (1969)
* Mortal Sin (1970)
* Pra Quem Fica, Tchau (1971)
* How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1972)
* John, the Knife and the River (1973)
* The Scarecrow's Night (1974)
* Ogum's Amulet (1975)
* Xica (1976)
* Tent of Miracles (1977)
* The Lyre of Delight (1978)
* Bye Bye Brazil (1979)
* Pixote (1980)
* Memoirs of Prison (1984)
* Hour of the Star (1986)
* Subway to the Stars (1987)
* The Story of Fausta (1988)
* Better Days Ahead (1989)
* Exposure (1991)
* O Quatrilho (1995)
* Tieta of Agreste (1996)
* Four Days in September (1997)
* Central Station (1998)
* Orfeu (1999)

2000—present|

* Me, You, Them (2000)
* Behind the Sun (2001)
* City of God (2002)
* Carandiru (2003)
* Olga (2004)
* Two Sons of Francisco (2005)
* Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2006)
* The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2007)
* Last Stop 174 (2008)
* Time of Fear (2009)
* Lula, Son of Brazil (2010)
* Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2011)
* The Clown (2012)
* Neighboring Sounds (2013)
* The Way He Looks (2014)
* The Second Mother (2015)
* Little Secret (2016)
* Bingo: The King of the Mornings (2017)
* The Great Mystical Circus (2018)
* The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão (2019)
* Babenco: Tell Me When I Die (2020)
* Private Desert (2021)
* Mars One (2022)
* Pictures of Ghosts (2023)
* I'm Still Here (2024)

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