Monthly Archives: April 2010

Ciberdúvidas – New Link!

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I’m not quite sure how this site elluded my links page but I’ve been aware of it for many years now. It’s called Ciberdúvidas da Língua Portuguesa and hosts a huge array of Q&A, which I find to be the most valuable information on the site, thus why I linked to that section on my links page. You won’t solely find questions and answers reflecting Continental Portuguese and as long as you understand how to recognize which is which, you have the opportunity to learn a lot with their archive.

À Deriva (2009) starring Vincent Cassel

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One of my favorite French actors, Vincent Cassel, stars in last year’s Brazilian production À Deriva (Adrift). While it was enjoyable (and I would expect it to be since it’s from the Pernambucano Heitor Dhalia, the same director from Cheiro do Ralo), it has a strong Lolita-esque quality. If I were to simplify it, it’s about a bunch of rich people on the beach…but at the same time, the actors do the script justice and the cinematography is excellent. If you get a chance to catch Adrift, I recommend it.

Here’s one website’s review.

“What happens when a teenage daughter discovers her own sexuality while her parents are rediscovering their own? A rather awkward, uncomfortable predicament is applied to a sea-side, sun-bleached town with villas, where a young protagonist Filipa (via first time actress Laura Neiva) deals not only with her yearnings, but with the possible break up of her parent’s marriage. Heitor Dhalia’s visually alluring Adrift might at first have everything sorted out in a pre-determined fashion (mom drinks, dad has his adventure, daughter is confused) but the truth of the matter is: the climax is rather mature and everything that you might want after some questionable scenes.”

On a side note, the Frenchman Cassel taught himself Portuguese and has been visiting Bahia for 20 years. Camila Belle, the mistress in the film, is an American actress (although with one Brazilian parent). If you wish to see a behind-the-scenes clip of the film, go here.

The Majority of Brazilians believe in God & Darwin

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One in every four Brazilians believe in the myth of Adam and Eve – or in some version of it – to explain the development of the human species, according to research Datafolha divulged this Friday in Folha de S. Paulo (in PT). For this 25% of the population, humans were created by God less than 10 thousand years ago and the human species went through years of evolution, guided by a divine being. Also in accordance with the research, 59% of Brazilians believe in God and in Darwin. A mere 18% think that evolution occurs without the participation of God.

The Big Bang simulation reopens the debate between science and religion (in PT)

The indexes vary according to both social class and education. The larger the income or degree of education, the larger the percentage of Darwinists and the smaller the percentage of Creationists. Datafolha polled 4,158 people older than 16 years old. The margin of error is two points.

The research data from Datafolha are very similar to the findings of comparable research done in Europe, but contrast with that of the United States, where the Creationists add up to 44%, the Evolutionists who believe in God represent 36% of the American population and the pure Darwinists, 14%. – O Globo (translated by me)

I’m selling some of my Brazil books

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I was going through my little library of books when I realized I’ve never read a book twice therefore I’ll be selling several of my books, which I can send via USPS and for payment, I have PayPal. None are ‘new’ new but they are all in good shape.

The first set is mainly Portuguese while the second, mainly English. Here’s the list…

US$10
O Menino No Espelho – Fernando Sabino
O Zahir – Paulo Coelho
O Demônio e a Senhora Prym – Paulo Coelho
O Efeito Urano – Fernanda Young *
O Indigitado – Carlos Heitor Cony * (sold)
Cidade Partida – Zuenir Ventura (sold)
Brazil – John Updike

US$5
A Moreninha – Joaquim Manuel de Macedo
Rio de Janeiro – Lonely Planet Guide
Rio de Janeiro – Wallpaper City Guide
Rio de Janeiro – B&B City Streets (laminated color map)
Portuguese Coursebook – Living Languages (sold)

* – Two of a five-part collection Cinco Dedos de Prosa, each with a story that revolves around the meaning behind a finger (ie, the novel about the pointer finger is a story about accusation).

For further information, just leave me a comment with your question. Thanks

Sara Bentes sings Los Hermanos

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Sara Bentes, a lesser-known Brazilian singer from Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro launched an album where she sings songs from Los Hermanos. She was born with a visual deficiency and as such is 95% blind but she hasn’t let it stop her from sharing her beautiful voice with the world.

Here’s one of the songs called Primaveira (listen) from the virtual album “Sara Bentes Canta Los Hermanos“, which you can download song by song from her official website (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Recife in your pocket

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Over at Recife Guide, there’s a post on a nice-looking little guide to Recife which is available as a bilingual edition (English & Portuguese). The guide is from Recife No Bolso, titled Mercados do Recife (Recife Markets) and goes for R$35. What you get is 120 colored pages, including 50 photographs. Looks like a good idea for a gift but if markets aren’t your thing, they have 3 more little guides on other aspects of Recife on the way.

As for how to purchase it, I’m not entirely sure although I’m sure you can shoot over an email (recife at recifenobolso.com) to the company where they ask you to write if you want more info.  

If interested in further information about Recife markets, there’s always the gov’t site’s page on the subject (in PT).