Zózimo Bulbul (September 21, 1937 – January 24, 2013) was a Brazilian

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

, and

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

. Bulbul was a prominent proponent of

Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians ( pt, afro-brasileiros; ) are Brazilians who have predominantly African ancestry (see "Black people#Brazil, preto"). Most members of another group of people, Pardo Brazilians, multiracial Brazilians or ''pardos'', may also have a ...

culture within

Brazilian cinema Brazilian cinema was introduced early in the 20th century but took some time to consolidate itself as a popular form of entertainment. The film industry of Brazil has gone through periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on state ...

and society at-large. Bulbul co-founded and organized the Encontro de Cinema Negro Brasil, África & Américas, which showcases films featuring

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n and Afro-Brazilian actors, directors, and themes. Bulbul made his film debut in the 1962 Brazilian

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, '' Cinco Vezes Favela''. He went on to star in more than thirty films throughout his career, including ''

Quilombo A ''quilombo'' (; from the Kimbundu word , ) is a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by people of African origin, and others sometimes called Carabali. Most of the inhabitants of quilombos, called quilombolas, were maroons, a term for e ...

'' and '' Sagarana: The Duel''. Bulbul was also a filmmaker and film director. His best known work was his ''

Abolição Abolição (Abolition) is a middle-class neighborhood of the North Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most po ...

'', which he released in 1988. Through ''Abolição'', Bulbul explored the 100th anniversary of the

abolition of slavery Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

in Brazil. (Slavery was outlawed by the

Lei Áurea The (; from Portuguese: Golden Law), adopted on May 13, 1888, was the law that abolished slavery in Brazil. It was signed by Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil (1846–1921), an opponent of slavery, who acted as regent to Emperor Pedro ...

in 1888). Bulbul lived abroad in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

during the height of the

Brazilian dictatorship The military dictatorship in Brazil ( pt, ditadura militar) was established on 1 April 1964, after a coup d'état by the Brazilian Armed Forces, with support from the United States government, against President João Goulart. The Brazilian dict ...

in the 1970s. His life and work were depicted in the 2006 documentary ''Zózimo Bulbul''. The film was directed by

Lázaro Ramos Luís Lázaro Sacramento Ramos (born November 1, 1978) is a prolific Brazilian actor, television presenter, director, writer, and voice actor. He started his acting career with the Flock of Olodum Theater group, in Salvador, and is best known f ...

as part of the Canal Brasil TV series ''Retratos Brasileiros''. Zózimo Bulbul died from a heart attack at his apartment in the

Flamengo Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (; English: ''Flamengo Rowing Club''), more commonly referred to as simply Flamengo, is a Brazilian sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Gávea, best known for their professional football t ...

neighborhood of

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

on January 24, 2013, at the age of 75. He was survived by his wife of thirty years, Biza Vianna. He was buried at São Francisco Xavier cemetery in the Caju neighborhood of the city.

Filmography

References

External links

* 1937 births 2013 deaths Afro-Brazilian people Brazilian male film actors Brazilian male television actors Brazilian filmmakers Brazilian film directors Brazilian activists Brazilian expatriates in the United States Male actors from Rio de Janeiro (city) {{Brazil-film-director-stub