Black Orpheus

ICON GUIDE
OCOpen Caption screening
Additional program content
35mm
SFSensory Friendly. Details HERE
Showtimes updated on Tuesday evenings

Black Orpheus

Screening with live bossa nova performance

Join us for a day full of jazz, hosted by John Pizzarelli.

Winner of both the Academy Award for best foreign-language film and the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, Marcel Camus’ Black Orpheus (Orfeu negro) brings the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the twentieth-century madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. With its eye-popping photography and ravishing, epochal soundtrack, Black Orpheus was an international cultural event, and it kicked off the bossa nova craze that set hi-fis across America spinning.

"In terms of sheer sun-kissed pulchritude, Black Orpheus was like nothing seen before when it exploded with its bossa nova soundtrack in 1959, winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Oscar for foreign film."
Kate Muir, The Times (UK)
"It really is not the two lovers that are the focus of interest in this film; it is the music, the movement, the storm of color that go into the two-day festival. M. Camus has done a superb job of getting the documented look not only of the overall fandango but also of the buildup of momentum the day before."
Bosley Crowther, The New York Times

SPECIAL EVENTS

Bossa nova performance with Duduka da Fonseca, Maucha Adnet, and Leo Traversa Bossa nova performance with Duduka da Fonseca, Maucha Adnet, and Leo Traversa Bossa nova performance with Duduka da Fonseca, Maucha Adnet, and Leo Traversa

Bossa nova performance with Duduka da Fonseca, Maucha Adnet, and Leo Traversa

Sunday, Aug. 3 2025, 2:00

  • Duduka Da Fonseca, born Eduardo Moreira Da Fonseca (Rio de Janeiro, March 31, 1951) is a Brazilian jazz drummer who is a founding member of Trio da Paz with Romero Lubambo and Nilson Matta. He leads the Duduka da Fonseca Trio, with David Feldman and Guto Wirtti. Duduka is a resident of New York City.
  • Maucha Adnet was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and started her professional singing career at the age of 15, as  a member of vocal group Céu da Boca. From 1978 to 1984, Céu da Boca recorded two albums released by Polygram.  From 1984 to 1994, Maucha performed, toured and recorded with legendary composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and his band Banda Nova. The recordings included four CDs, 'Passarim' (Polygram, Verve,1987), 'Antonio Brasileiro' Grammy Winner (Sony Music,1995), 'Tom Jobim Inédito' (BMG-Ariola,1995) and 'Rio Revisited' Antonio Carlos Jobim and Gal Costa (Polygram,Verve,1987).  Maucha toured with Jobim throughout Brazil, United States, Japan, Israel and Europe and performed in Jazz Festivals and venues such as Carnegie Hall (NY), Avery Ficher Hall (NY), Hollywood Ball (LA), Bill Graham Wiltern Theatre (LA) and many others.
  • Leo Traversa, a native New Yorker, has distinguished himself as a musician and educator. His extensive knowledge of a variety of musical genres and cultures and his mastery of their playing techniques makes him one of the most versatile and proficient bassists on the scene today. Press reviews have described him as “perfect in technique and brilliant in providing instrumental background”, “master of the 5-string bass”, and “without question, one of the top bassists”.

Tickets: $30 (members), $35 (nonmembers)

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This film is part of the following initiatives:

This film is part of the Sounds of Summer series.



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The Jacob Burns Film Center is proud to receive generous support from:

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