📚🎧🎬 What to read, listen to and watch

Hello! Welcome to another edition of the Brazil Society newsletter! This week, we’re bringing you suggestions from Brazilian culture that popped up in 2024. We hope you enjoy them! Comment on our website and social media channels!

Brazilian (and Latin American) culture in 2024: What to read, listen to and watch

Throughout 2024, The Brazilian Report has brought you some of the most captivating moments from Brazil and Latin America’s vibrant cultural scene. From the groundbreaking Oscar prospects of “Ainda Estou Aqui” — “I’m Still Here,” a milestone for Brazilian cinema — to the controversial decision by Gabriel García Márquez’s family to posthumously publish “Until August,” defying the wishes of the late Colombian literary giant, the year has been rich with cultural touchpoints.

Our To Be Read series also introduced you to authors exploring Brazilian history and politics. In the final episode of 2024, journalist and professor Marcos Colón offered an incisive look into “The Amazon in Times of War,” shedding light on the multiple conflicts that emerge from the capitalist exploitation of the rainforest.

But as the year draws to a close, one last roundup of cultural recommendations felt essential. From cinema to literature to music, our team has handpicked works that defined their 2024, ensuring you step into 2025 with your cultural horizons expanded. Dive in and discover the gems that shaped the year.

🎶 Music

• Laura Quirin, founder and CEO

In 2024, the world bid farewell to Sérgio Mendes, a musical pioneer who introduced international audiences to bossa nova rhythms, all while still singing in Portuguese. Mendes, who rose to fame in the 1960s, bridged cultural divides through his infectious melodies and sophisticated arrangements, leaving an indelible mark on global music.

A winner of a Grammy and two Latin Grammys, Mendes achieved numerous milestones over his storied career. Among them, he remains the Brazilian artist with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with an astounding 14 songs on the US’s premier music chart.

For those discovering his legacy, start with the timeless classic “Mas Que Nada,” a vibrant anthem composed by Jorge Ben Jor, and “Magalenha,” a spirited track written by Carlinhos Brown. These songs encapsulate the enduring magic of Sérgio Mendes — a maestro who forever changed the soundtrack of Brazilian music.

• Victor Santos, social media manager

Ivan Lins’s 1978 album “Nos Dias de Hoje” stands as a testament to resilience and artistry during Brazil’s military dictatorship. The celebrated singer, pianist, and composer — known for his emotive ballads frequently featured in Brazilian soap operas — imbued the album with cultural depth and joy. Tracks such as “Bandeira do Divino” and “Forró do Largo” evoke the spirit of Brazil’s traditional festivals, weaving nostalgia with celebration.

Decades later, the album’s influence continues to resonate. The track “Guarde nos Olhos” was sampled in 2024 by Common and Pete Rock for their song “Fortunate” from The Auditorium Vol. 1, bridging generations and genres in a fitting tribute to Lins’s enduring legacy.

• Dayana Hashim, copy editor

Milton Nascimento is timeless. I hate to admit that I didn’t truly appreciate his music until shortly before he announced a well-deserved retirement in 2022 at age 80; fortunately, I still got to see him on his farewell tour. 

This year, he decided to grace us once again with his voice — quieter and more mature, but no less moving — and collaborated on an album with Oregon jazz bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding. The pair also recorded a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in his home in Rio de Janeiro, where they performed tracks from the album.

🎬 Cinema

• Euan Marshall, deputy editor

While Netflix’s six-part drama series “Senna” has gained significant attention in Brazil and elsewhere in South America this year, it admittedly left me cold — despite some of its obvious production qualities. 

In its place, I recommend Asif Kapadia’s 2010 documentary, also called “Senna,” to give you a much more thrilling, heart-wrenching and tactile telling of the story of the greatest driver in Formula 1 history, Brazil’s Ayrton Senna.

• Letícia Arcoverde, deputy editor

Karim Aïnouz’s latest film, “Motel Destino,” is an erotic thriller that promises to captivate fans of the erotic noir genre. Set against the sweltering backdrop of Ceará, in Brazil’s Northeast, the story unfolds in a roadside sex hotel where a young man, played by Iago Xavier in an impressive debut, seeks refuge while fleeing his former drug gang.

As he takes a job at the motel, his presence disrupts the fragile dynamic between its owners — a magnetic Fabio Assunção and the equally compelling Nataly Rocha. With its lush cinematography, simmering tension and moments of raw sensuality, “Motel Destino” is both gritty and deeply entertaining. Aïnouz, known for “Invisible Life” and “Futuro Beach,” once again demonstrates his ability to weave complex narratives with striking visual flair.

📚 Literature

• Gustavo Ribeiro, founder and editor-in-chief

“Forças Armadas e política no Brasil republicano” (“Armed Forces and Politics in Republican Brazil”), published by Editora FGV this year, is essential reading in light of recent events that exposed the fragile state of Brazilian democracy. Volume 1 examines the military’s historical involvement in politics, offering crucial insights into moments like the 1964 coup. Volume 2 extends this analysis to the New Republic (1988-2018), shedding light on the politicization of the military during Jair Bolsonaro's presidency.

Although not explored by the book, the recent revelations that military officers planned a coup against democracy in 2022 make these books all the more relevant, raising troubling questions about the ongoing political role of the Armed Forces and their constitutional loyalty.

• Lucas Berti, Latin America reporter

To truly grasp the complexities of Brazil, one must delve into the broader tapestry of Latin American history — a premise at the heart of Brazilian journalist Ariel Palacios’s latest book, “América Latina Lado B” (“Latin America B-Sides”), published in April.

Palacios stitches together historic anecdotes into a vibrant patchwork quilt, revealing how tyranny, megalomania, corruption, violence and the esoteric have shaped the region’s explosive history. 

While Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez drew on historical truths to fuel his fantastical style of magical realism, Palacios argues that Latin America’s real-life stories often outstrip fiction in their allegorical and surreal qualities. The result is a compelling exploration of a continent where reality consistently defies belief.

• Ignacio Portes, Latin America editor

My recommendation is "Democracy in Danger? How Memes and Other Marginal Internet Discourses Took Over The Public Debate," by Argentine author Juan Ruocco. Although published in 2023, it was prescient about the rise of Javier Milei to power and the cultural transformations that came with his victory.

In the style of Angela Nagle's “Kill All Normies,” the book studies how the language of online communities shaped key recent political events, from democratic elections to violent far-right attacks, including the assassination attempt on former Argentine President Cristina Kirchner.

• André Chiavassa, head of creative 

Brazilian literature found itself in the global spotlight in 2024, with renewed attention on the iconic writer Clarice Lispector. The revered author’s name surfaced repeatedly throughout the year, from “bookfluencer” Courtney Henning Novak’s viral reviews to actress Cate Blanchett quoting a Lispector excerpt during an awards acceptance speech.

Originally translated into French in 1954, Lispector’s works are now available in 20 countries, with a staggering 308 translated editions. According to her biographer, her literary renaissance began in 2010, fueled by the internet’s embrace of her distinctive voice and themes. 

For English-speaking readers, many of Lispector’s masterpieces are accessible through international marketplaces, including the acclaimed “Near to the Wild Heart.” This resurgence underscores her enduring relevance and universal appeal.

• Isabela Cruz, Brazilian politics reporter

I highly recommend “Nós — O Atlântico em Solitário” (“Us — The Atlantic in Solitude”) by Tamara Klink, published in 2023. The book resonated deeply throughout 2024, coinciding with the release of her video series “Remedy For Saudade,” which chronicles her solitary winter in Greenland. The series is available with English subtitles.

In her book, Klink recounts her remarkable solo crossing of the Atlantic on a small sailboat at just 24 years old, a feat that made her the youngest Brazilian to achieve this milestone. While the daring expedition itself is reason enough to take note of her work, Klink’s eloquent, heartfelt reflections elevate her writing, with humble reflection on remarkable experiences.

• Jika, cartoonist

I highly recommend “Chumbo,” a graphic novel by Matthias Lehmann, first published in French by Casterman in 2023 and released in Brazil in 2024 by Nemo.

Rendered in striking black-and-white illustrations, Chumbo spans 70 years of Brazilian history, from the 1930s to the early 2000s. Through the lens of a family in Minas Gerais — loosely inspired by Lehmann’s own heritage — the novel offers a deeply personal and visually captivating exploration of Brazil’s recent past. 

With its rich storytelling and intricate artwork, Chumbo is essential for anyone seeking a unique and nuanced perspective on the country’s complex history.