Dias Melhores Virão
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Better Days Ahead'' () is a 1989 Brazilian comedy-drama film directed by
Carlos Diegues Carlos Diegues (also known as Cacá Diegues; 19 May 1940 – 14 February 2025) was a Brazilian film director, best known as a member of the Cinema Novo movement. He was popularly known for his unconventional, yet intriguing film techniques among ...
.


Plot

The staff of a dubbing studio celebrates the announcement of a Brazilian dubbing of an acclaimed show called ''The Mary Shadow Show''. Mary Shadow is played by brazilian biggest rockstar,
Rita Lee Rita Lee Jones (31 December 1947 – 8 May 2023) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Known as the " Queen of Brazilian Rock", she sold more than 55 million records, making her the most successful female artist by reco ...
. To dub the main character, Dalila (
Zezé Motta Maria José Motta de Oliveira (born 27 June 1944), known as Zezé Motta, is a Brazilian actress and singer. She is considered one of the most important actresses in Brazil. Life and career Born in Campos dos Goytacazes, she moved with her fami ...
) indicates her neighbor Marialva (
Marília Pêra Marília Soares Pêra (22 January 1943 – 5 December 2015) was a Brazilian actress, singer and theater director. Throughout her career, she won around 80 awards, acting in 49 plays, 29 telenovelas and more than 20 films. Career Daughter of Port ...
), who adopts the name "Mary Mattos" as she dreams about becoming a Hollywood star. Marialva lives tormented by the death of her former boyfriend, and finds refuge on Wallace (
José Wilker José Wilker Almeida (20 August 1944 – 5 April 2014) was a Brazilian film, stage, and television actor and director. The actor gained fame in telenovelas like '' Roque Santeiro'' (1985), but became known internationally for his role as Vadinho, ...
), a married man who promises he will abandon his family to live with her. Meanwhile, Pompeu (
Paulo José Paulo José Gómez de Souza (20 March 1937 – 11 August 2021) was a Brazilian actor. Selected filmography Film *1965: '' The Priest and the Girl'' - Priest *1966: '' Todas as Mulheres do Mundo'' - Paulo *1967: '' Edu, coração de ouro'' - ...
), the dubbing director falls in love with Marialva and says he will direct a film starring her. After some dates, Marialva asks Pompeu to go to
Jacarepaguá Jacarepaguá (), with a land area of , is a neighborhood situated in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2010, it had a population of 157,326. The name comes from the indigenous name of the location, "shallow pond of caymans", yakaré (c ...
, the district where Wallace lives; when he notices she just wanted to Wallace, Pompeu abandons Marialva there. From the top of a tree, Marialva witnesses Wallace with his family as he dies of a heart attack. After this, Marialva says to Dalila she will quit from the job. When Dalila asks her to translate a letter from an American admirer, Marialva discovers ''The Mary Shadow Show'' needs a new actress to play the role of Mary Shadow's maid. Without telling to no one, Marialva goes to Wallace's office, takes some money he had left, and travels to the United States aiming to get the role. In the end, Marialva gets the role and when a new episode from ''The Mary Shadow Show'' arrives at the dubbing studio, Pompeu, Dalila and the rest of staff are thrilled.


Cast

*
Marília Pêra Marília Soares Pêra (22 January 1943 – 5 December 2015) was a Brazilian actress, singer and theater director. Throughout her career, she won around 80 awards, acting in 49 plays, 29 telenovelas and more than 20 films. Career Daughter of Port ...
as Marialva "Mary" Mattos *
Paulo José Paulo José Gómez de Souza (20 March 1937 – 11 August 2021) was a Brazilian actor. Selected filmography Film *1965: '' The Priest and the Girl'' - Priest *1966: '' Todas as Mulheres do Mundo'' - Paulo *1967: '' Edu, coração de ouro'' - ...
as Pompeu *
Zezé Motta Maria José Motta de Oliveira (born 27 June 1944), known as Zezé Motta, is a Brazilian actress and singer. She is considered one of the most important actresses in Brazil. Life and career Born in Campos dos Goytacazes, she moved with her fami ...
as Dalila *
José Wilker José Wilker Almeida (20 August 1944 – 5 April 2014) was a Brazilian film, stage, and television actor and director. The actor gained fame in telenovelas like '' Roque Santeiro'' (1985), but became known internationally for his role as Vadinho, ...
as Wallace Caldeira *
Rita Lee Rita Lee Jones (31 December 1947 – 8 May 2023) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Known as the " Queen of Brazilian Rock", she sold more than 55 million records, making her the most successful female artist by reco ...
as Mary Shadow *
Marilu Bueno Maria Luiza David Bueno de Lima (known as Marilu Bueno; 27 February 1940 – 22 June 2022) was a Brazilian actress. * 1990 – ''Lua de Cristal">m_linha<_a><br>_nowiki>.html" ;"title="m linha"> m linha">[em linha ...
as Adelaide * m linha/nowiki>">m linha">[em linha ...
as Adelaide *Paulo César Pereio as Pereira *Aurora Miranda">Paulo César Pereio">m linha/nowiki>">m linha">[em linha ...
as Adelaide *Paulo César Pereio as Pereira *Aurora Miranda as Aurora *Antônio Pedro as Salgado *Betina Vianny as Janete *Benjamin Cattan as Ferreirão *Patricio Bisso as Juanita *Joffre Soares as Coronel


Release

After a limited release on September 4, 1989, the film was first exhibited to general audience through
TV Globo TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air Television broadcasting, television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto M ...
in the early 90s; thus, film distributors boycotted ''Better Days Ahead'' on its theatrical release on October 4, 1991.


Reception


Awards and nominations

In 1990, ''Better Days Ahead'' won the Special Prize at the
Denver Film Festival The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...
and
Biarritz Film Festival The Biarritz Festival Latin America () is an international film festival held annually in the French city of Biarritz since 1979. Awards * HUG for Best Feature * Jury Award for Best Feature * Best Actress * Best Actor * Feature Film Audience ...
. It won the 1991
Cartagena Film Festival The Cartagena Film Festival (), or FICCI, is a film festival held in Cartagena, Colombia, which focuses mainly on the promotion of Colombian television series, Latin American films and short films. The Cartagena Film Festival, which is held ever ...
in the categories Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Pêra). In addition, it was the Brazilian submission for the 62nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, although it was not nominated.


See also

*
List of submissions to the 62nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of submissions to the 62nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film was created in 1956 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honour non-English language, Englis ...
*
List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film Brazil has submitted films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film since 1960. The award is handed out annually by the United States–based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to a feature length motion picture produced ...


References


External links

* {{Brazilian submission for Academy Awards 1989 comedy-drama films 1989 films Brazilian comedy-drama films Films about actors Films directed by Carlos Diegues 1980s Portuguese-language films Films set in Rio de Janeiro (city) Films shot in Rio de Janeiro (city) 1989 crime drama films 1980s Brazilian films