''The Clown'' ( pt, O Palhaço) is a 2011 Brazilian

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film. It is the second feature film directed by

Selton Mello Selton Figueiredo Mello (born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and director. Since his childhood, he acted on TV shows. Now he works on TV, movies and theater. Throughout his career, he developed a strong and solid experience in cinema, pr ...

, who also stars as the protagonist.O Palhaço : Curiosidades - AdoroCinema
/ref> The film follows the story of the father and son Benjamin and Valdemar, who work as clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue, running the country roads together with the Circus Hope troupe. The clown Benjamin, however, is in crisis. He thinks that he is not funny anymore. The film was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the

85th Academy Awards The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p. ...

Plot

The film tells the story of Benjamin and Valdemar, father and son known as the clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue. They make their living traveling the country with Circus Hope, without a fixed address, no neighbors, and no ID.O Palhaço filme - Trailer, sinopse e horários - Guia da Semana
/ref> The drama begins when Pangaré, tired of life on the road, feels that he is no longer a funny clown, awakening a lifelong dream of having a place to live and a social security number, proof of residence, and an identity card.

Cast

Paulo José Paulo José Gómez de Souza (20 March 1937 – 11 August 2021) was a Brazilian actor. TV work *2014 - ''Em Família'' *2011 - '' Morde & Assopra'' *2009 - ''Caminho das Índias'' - Profeta Gentileza *2006 - '' JK'' *2004 - ''O Pequeno Alqu ...

as Valdemar / Puro Sangue clown *

as Benjamim / Pangaré clown * Larissa Manoela as Guilhermina * Giselle Motta as Lola * Teuda Bara as Dona Zaira * Álamo Facó as João Lorota * Cadu Fávero as Tony Lo Bianco * Erom Cordeiro as Robson Felix * Hossen Minussi as Chico Lorota * Maíra Chasseraux as Lara Lane * Thogun as Gordini * Bruna Chiaradia as Justine * Renato Macedo as Borrachinha * Tony Tonelada as Meio Quilo * Fabiana Karla as Tonha * Jorge Loredo as Nei * Jackson Antunes as Juca Bigode * Moacyr Franco as Delegado Justo * Tonico Pereira as Beto / Deto Papagaio

Production

The film was shot in March and April 2010; in the city of

Paulínia Paulínia is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is part of the São Paulo Macrometropolis. The population is 112,003 (2020 est.) in an area of 138.78 km². The elevation is 590 m. It is known for hosting the Replan, ...

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

, and some scenes in the district of Conceição do Ibitipoca, Lima Duarte,

Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...

. Director and star of ''O Palhaço'', Selton Mello said in an interview that the film is "a mixture of

Oscarito Oscarito, stage name of Oscar Lorenzo Jacinto de la Inmaculada Concepción Teresa Diaz (August 16, 1906 – August 4, 1970) was a Spanish-Brazilian actor, considered to be one of the most popular comedians of Brazil. Life Born in a family of c ...

, Didi Mocó and

Bye Bye Brazil ''Bye Bye Brazil'' ( pt, Bye Bye Brasil) is a 1979 Brazilian-French-Argentine film, directed by Carlos Diegues. Locations for the film include Belém and Altamira in the state of Pará, Maceió, the capital of Alagoas state, and the national capi ...

." He said the production helped him to get rid of depression. Mello showed the script to actors

Wagner Moura Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (; born 27 June 1976) is a Brazilian actor, director, filmmaker, musician, and journalist. Wagner started his career doing theater in Salvador, where he worked with renowned directors, and soon scored some appearances ...

and

Rodrigo Santoro Rodrigo Junqueira Reis Santoro (; born 22 August 1975) is a Brazilian actor. He is most known for his portrayal of Persian King Xerxes in the movie ''300'' (2006) and its sequel '' 300: Rise of an Empire'' (2014). Other famous movies include ' ...

, offering them the lead role, but the schedule prevented both from accepting the invitation.

Release

The film premiered on October 28, 2011 in 200 theaters throughout Brazil. In the first three days of release the film grossed R$ 2 million, reaching the milestone of 1 million viewers in the third week of screening.

Awards

São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards * Won: Best Director -

4th Festival Paulínia de CinemaO Palhaço ganha quatro prêmios no 4º Festival de Cinema de Paulínia - Notícias - Imagem Filmes
/ref> * Won: Best Director -

* Won: Best Script -

and Marcelo Vindicatto * Won: Best Supporting Actor - Moacyr Franco * Won: Best Costume Design - Kika Lopes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clown, The 2011 comedy-drama films 2011 films Brazilian comedy-drama films Films about clowns Films directed by Selton Mello Films shot in Minas Gerais Films shot in Paulínia 2010s Portuguese-language films