This is hard to say - you’ve brought so much joy and pain over the years. Now, I think I’m finally ready to forgive. Here we go – Latin America, I forgive you for the telenovelas that has unjustly plagued me for most of my life. I forgive the frivolous plots, the impossibly dramatic soundtrack, and the second-rate acting you could spot without knowing a word of Spanish. With Hijos Del Carnaval, the hemisphere and Brazil in particular, have taken definite steps toward redeeming themselves and raising the bar for good television there and abroad.
The Rio-set series, translated literally as “Sons of Carnaval”, is stamped with the HBO Latin America Originals seal and carries itself with the grace befitting a television event. The opener sets key events in motion – aging Anésio Gebara (Jece Valadão, who passed in 2006) has a vision on as final preparations for his 75th birthday are completed. In charge of the celebration, and minding his father’s illegal lottery business and Samba School (think a squad of Carnaval dancers and musicians), is Anesinho (Felipe Camargo). Anesinho is temperamental hulk of a man, every bit the antithesis of his physically unimposing but well-respected father.
It seems death has shacked up with the Gebara clan, and won’t leave until a single member has been claimed. Here’s the thing about Hijos – the supernatural is always clumsily inserted in a storyline that could easily do without the symbolism. Still, occasionally, when the truly outlandish reality collides with the beliefs that influence major characters, we are granted a transcendent and rewarding moment of reflection.
That said, the celebration is the event that kicks off the major conceit of the series. As Gebara elder travels around town with bodyguard and confidante Nilo (Thogun, just Thogun) in tow, the “other” son flies in with family in tow. Claudinho (Enrique Diaz) has the brain for business but frequent self-questioning and general sheepishness certainly don’t play in his favor. Meanwhile, Brown (Rodrigo dos Santos) directs a drum section of the Samba School while trying to curry favor in the world beyond.
When Anesinho is removed from the picture permanently, the three men step up to the plate in an effort to replace the favorite son. There is a major plot revelation that binds Nilo, Claudinho, and Brown and realizes their brotherly ambition for precisely that. Under the guise of a perpetually disappointed Anésio, Claudinho struggles to fit in with a rough-and-tumble criminal crowd. To these men, Claudinho is “Suzy”, an effeminate exemplar of a man unfit to get his hands dirty. Nilo, in the meantime, parlays conversations with the man who raised him and muses aloud in an occasionally potent narration.
Temperamental musician and womanizer Brown is probably the most visibly flawed (read: relatable) of the three protags, and his efforts to climb above his station are among the most moving in the series. Anésio takes more of a backseat through the series but the elderly man is always up for an opportunity to show his teeth, reminding the young brood that this kingdom was built on the backs of old men and they plan to hold on to it. The Rio setting lends a private flavor to the show and the shanty towns captured by a consistently roving camera are uniquely captivating.
Occasionally Hijos brings to mind Fernando Meirelles’ City of God but the show veers more into the contemplative Six Feet Under territory, reinforcing themes and character traits. The small events build momentum as we learn more about the events that precipitated Anesinho’s departure. The relationship between the three men is fascinating, and while female characters are relegated to the background as nagging wives, the show does keep a strong focus on men in power and reaching out for a piece of the pie. Sound and picture are not outstanding but perfectly acceptable – lots of handheld you-are-there gritty camerawork abounds, so its only natural that the toned down color scheme and a smaller budget that a US-based HBO show would reflect on the production values.
DVD Bonus Features
A blank slate.
"Hijos Del Carnaval : Seasons One and Two" is on sale May 31, 2011 and is not rated. Crime, Drama, Foreign, Television. Directed by Cao Hamburger. Written by Melanie Dimantas, Anna Muylaert, Elena Soarez. Starring Jece Valadao, Felipe Camargo, Enrique Diaz, Rodrigo Dos Santos, Thogun.
