Black Rio! Black Power! (2024)

Together with Caribbean Creativity and Africadelic, we present the exclusive Dutch premiere of Black Rio! Black Power!, a fascinating music documentary that explores the transformative power of soul music in 1970s Rio de Janeiro, where dance events grew into crucial spaces for political affirmation and resistance among young Black communities. The screening will be preceded by an introduction from Brazilian actress, dancer, and cultural entrepreneur Anna Carolina Marques, best known as the founder and director of Baile Project, and by the screening of Pavilhão (2025), a short Brazilian film about the origins of samba in Rio as a form of resistance and celebration within the Afro-Brazilian community.

Black Rio! Black Power!, directed by Emílio Domingo, shows, through the lens of the Black Rio Movement, the role soul music played in the struggle for racial equality during Brazil’s military dictatorship and its lasting influence on genres such as hip-hop and funk. The film also highlights the movement’s legacy in terms of Black pride, aesthetic values, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice, focusing on key figures such as Dom Filó and the impact of the movement on subsequent generations.

This one-time screening of Black Rio! Black Power! is organized in honor of Tiradentes Day (Dia de Tiradentes). This day commemorates the death of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, one of the leading members of the revolutionary movement Inconfidência Mineira, on April 21, 1792, and symbolizes Brazil’s struggle for independence and freedom from colonial rule.

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.