Bicho de Sete Cabeças
Encyclopedia
Bicho de Sete Cabeças is a 2001 Brazil
ian drama film
directed by Laís Bodanzky and written by Luiz Bolognesi
based on the autobiographical book Canto dos Malditos by Austregésilo Carrano Bueno. The film was made with the partnership between the Brazilian producers Buriti Filmes, Dezenove Som e Imagens Produções Ltda. and Gullane Filmes with the participation of Brazilian Rio Filme Distribuidora and the Italian Fabrica Cinema, and had big names in the cast as Rodrigo Santoro
, Othon Bastos
and Cassia Kiss
.
The film tells the story of Neto, a young man who is admitted to a psychiatric hospital
after his father discovers a joint in his jacket. There, Neto is submitted to abusive situations. In addition to approach the issue of abuse made by psychiatric hospitals, also approach the issue of drugs
and the relationship between father and son.
Bicho de Sete Cabeças was widely acclaimed in general, receiving several awards and nominations national and internationally, among them, Cinema Brazil Grand Prize for "Best Film", Cartagena Film Festival
for "Best Actor" and Locarno International Film Festival
, as well the most awarded movie in the Brasília
and Recife
festivals. Film opened doors for a new way of thinking about psychiatric institutions in Brazil
and around it, was approved by Congress
, a law that prohibits the construction of these institutions in the country.
city teenager that spend nights and days seeking thrill and freedom while skating and spray painting walls alongside his also teenage friends. He perceive his acts as small bouts of rebellion towards his ironclad father (and the father misunderstoods the acts as vagrancy). Things gets even worse between the both of them when the father, subreptitiously and after the kid gets himself being arrested by vandalism
charges, searches the boy's possessions and finds a spliff in a backpack.
Fearing lose his son to the drugs (and over rationalizing the situation), the father sends Neto to the lock-up in a mental institution under the guise of "treatment". In the hospital, Neto is slowly turned into a even more rebellious inconformist and sader character. Always kept under psychoactive drugs to calm down his temper, Neto finds trouble re-adapting to the "free" society.
The documentary type language used by the director gives this movie a sensation of reality distortion that increases even more the impact of the emotions Neto goes through. In the mental institution, Neto is forced to forcedly mature, becoming depressed and paranoid in the process. The transformations that he goes through alter his relationship with his father in an unfavorable way and almost permanent way.
no Austregésilo Carrano Bueno. The book is an autobiographical work in which Carrano tells his personal tragedy after his father sent him to a psychiatric hospital once he found out he smoked marijuana. Carrano's book is a visceral chronicle that denounces with extreme soberness, despite of the great suffering, the monstrosity of the Brazilian psychiatric system and the hypocrisy of the Brazilian society in the face of drugs. The book was recommended for its first edition by writer Paulo Leminski
.
The movie adapts itself to the present days because reality has not changed much in these last twenty years. Still today, it is extremely common to see families sending their children to psychiatric hospitals because of the use of drugs. The research coordinated by the director, Laís Bodanzky, found women that were in these hospitals because of infidelity towards their husbands and an extremely high number of cases for alcohol abuse (the Health Ministry
informs that alcoholism is responsible for 12% of the cases).
Later, the writer Austregésilo Carrano became a militant of the anti-mental institution movement. Not only did Carrano write Canto dos Malditos (Song of the Damned), but also Textos Teatro (Theatrical Texts), a compilation of six plays. He also worked on a romance titled Filhas da Noite (Daughters of the Night) that deals with the universe of drug traffic, homosexuality, prostitution and the police departments. Carrano died on May 27, 2008, due to liver cancer
.
While the script was being elaborated, Luiz Bolognesi invented situations and characters. Another book that greatly inspired the movie was Letter to His Father
, by Franz Kafka
.
title, but a more literal translation of Bicho de Sete Cabeças would be Seven-Headed Animal. This is a common expression in Brazil
used to describe very difficult things. A student, for example, could say that math is a "seven-headed animal", meaning that it is a hard thread to battle (as the mythological animal was).
The expression is often used to describe an overreaction. When saying that someone "made a seven-headed animal", the person is in fact saying that this "someone" is seeing big difficulties or problems when they are small or even do not exist. In the movie, Neto's father overreacts when sees the cigarette. Instead of trying to solve a small familiar problem, he thought that it was a huge problem that should only be solved with psychiatric
intervention. So, it can be said that he made a seven-headed animal.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Laís Bodanzky and written by Luiz Bolognesi
Luiz Bolognesi
Luiz Roberto Bolognesi is a Brazilian screenwriter. He won several awards as a screenwriter, including "Best Screenplay" in Grande Prêmio Cinema Brasil, Recife Cinema Festival and Troféu APCA.-External links:*...
based on the autobiographical book Canto dos Malditos by Austregésilo Carrano Bueno. The film was made with the partnership between the Brazilian producers Buriti Filmes, Dezenove Som e Imagens Produções Ltda. and Gullane Filmes with the participation of Brazilian Rio Filme Distribuidora and the Italian Fabrica Cinema, and had big names in the cast as Rodrigo Santoro
Rodrigo Santoro
Rodrigo Junqueira dos Reis Santoro is a Brazilian actor.-Life and career:Santoro was born in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. He is of half Brazilian and half Italian descent. In 1993, as Santoro was studying Journalism at PUC-Rio, he entered the Actor's Workshop of Rede Globo...
, Othon Bastos
Othon Bastos
Othon Bastos is a Brazilian film actor. He has appeared in 50 films since 1962.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
and Cassia Kiss
Cássia Kiss
Cássia Kis Magro is a Brazilian actress of Hungarian descent. Formely known as Cássia Kiss, she included her husband's family name in her stage name in 2010. Later, she changed the middle pseudonym from Kiss to Kis...
.
The film tells the story of Neto, a young man who is admitted to a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
after his father discovers a joint in his jacket. There, Neto is submitted to abusive situations. In addition to approach the issue of abuse made by psychiatric hospitals, also approach the issue of drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and the relationship between father and son.
Bicho de Sete Cabeças was widely acclaimed in general, receiving several awards and nominations national and internationally, among them, Cinema Brazil Grand Prize for "Best Film", Cartagena Film Festival
Cartagena Film Festival
The Cartagena Film Festival, or Festival Internacional de Cine y T.V. de Cartagena de Indias. is a Colombian film festival which focuses on the promotion of Colombian television programs, Latin American films, and videos...
for "Best Actor" and Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
, as well the most awarded movie in the Brasília
Festival de Brasília
The Festival de Brasília promoted by the Government of the Distrito Federal, has existed since 1965, dedicated exclusively to Brazilian cinema. In the first two editions was called Semana do Cinema Brasileiro ....
and Recife
Recife Cinema Festival
Recife Cinema FestivalAlso known as Recife Audiovisual Festival or Cine-PE, it's a competitive film and audiovisual festival host in Recife. It's dedicated to the Brazilian and state production of feature & short films; as videos and documentaries as well. Founded in 1997 by the couple Alfredo &...
festivals. Film opened doors for a new way of thinking about psychiatric institutions in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and around it, was approved by Congress
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
, a law that prohibits the construction of these institutions in the country.
Plot
Wilson de Souza Neto (aka "Neto") is a São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
city teenager that spend nights and days seeking thrill and freedom while skating and spray painting walls alongside his also teenage friends. He perceive his acts as small bouts of rebellion towards his ironclad father (and the father misunderstoods the acts as vagrancy). Things gets even worse between the both of them when the father, subreptitiously and after the kid gets himself being arrested by vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
charges, searches the boy's possessions and finds a spliff in a backpack.
Fearing lose his son to the drugs (and over rationalizing the situation), the father sends Neto to the lock-up in a mental institution under the guise of "treatment". In the hospital, Neto is slowly turned into a even more rebellious inconformist and sader character. Always kept under psychoactive drugs to calm down his temper, Neto finds trouble re-adapting to the "free" society.
The documentary type language used by the director gives this movie a sensation of reality distortion that increases even more the impact of the emotions Neto goes through. In the mental institution, Neto is forced to forcedly mature, becoming depressed and paranoid in the process. The transformations that he goes through alter his relationship with his father in an unfavorable way and almost permanent way.
Cast
- Rodrigo SantoroRodrigo SantoroRodrigo Junqueira dos Reis Santoro is a Brazilian actor.-Life and career:Santoro was born in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. He is of half Brazilian and half Italian descent. In 1993, as Santoro was studying Journalism at PUC-Rio, he entered the Actor's Workshop of Rede Globo...
(Neto) - Othon BastosOthon BastosOthon Bastos is a Brazilian film actor. He has appeared in 50 films since 1962.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
(Mr. Wilson) - Cássia KissCássia KissCássia Kis Magro is a Brazilian actress of Hungarian descent. Formely known as Cássia Kiss, she included her husband's family name in her stage name in 2010. Later, she changed the middle pseudonym from Kiss to Kis...
(Neto's Mother) - Jairo Mattos, psychiatric institution employee
- Caco Ciocler, Neto's companion at mental asylum
- Luís MirandaLuis MirandaLuis Miranda is a very important master painter from Ecuador.Miranda was born in 1932 to Pedro Miranda Martinez and Dolores Neira Peñafiel. Miranda's childhood memories were of harvesting honey from his family's many beehives, which they owned all along the route from Emplame to Guayaquil...
- Valéria Alencar
- Altair Lima
- Linneu Dias
- Gero Camilo, Ceará, inmate in the same asylum as Neto
- Marcos Cesana
The book that inspired the film
The movie was inspired by the book called Canto dos Malditos (The Chant of the Damned or The Corner of the Damned, depending on interpretation), written in the late 1970s by CuritibaCuritiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
no Austregésilo Carrano Bueno. The book is an autobiographical work in which Carrano tells his personal tragedy after his father sent him to a psychiatric hospital once he found out he smoked marijuana. Carrano's book is a visceral chronicle that denounces with extreme soberness, despite of the great suffering, the monstrosity of the Brazilian psychiatric system and the hypocrisy of the Brazilian society in the face of drugs. The book was recommended for its first edition by writer Paulo Leminski
Paulo Leminski
Paulo Leminski Filho was a Brazilian poet and writer. He took pride in being of mixed Polish and African descent....
.
The movie adapts itself to the present days because reality has not changed much in these last twenty years. Still today, it is extremely common to see families sending their children to psychiatric hospitals because of the use of drugs. The research coordinated by the director, Laís Bodanzky, found women that were in these hospitals because of infidelity towards their husbands and an extremely high number of cases for alcohol abuse (the Health Ministry
Ministry of Health (Brazil)
The Ministry of Health is one of many the Brazilian federal government ministries.Created on July 25, 1953 as the Ministry of Education and Health , today it is effectively divided into three distinct official organs: Health, Education, and Culture.-External links:*...
informs that alcoholism is responsible for 12% of the cases).
Later, the writer Austregésilo Carrano became a militant of the anti-mental institution movement. Not only did Carrano write Canto dos Malditos (Song of the Damned), but also Textos Teatro (Theatrical Texts), a compilation of six plays. He also worked on a romance titled Filhas da Noite (Daughters of the Night) that deals with the universe of drug traffic, homosexuality, prostitution and the police departments. Carrano died on May 27, 2008, due to liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
.
While the script was being elaborated, Luiz Bolognesi invented situations and characters. Another book that greatly inspired the movie was Letter to His Father
Letter to His Father
Letter to His Father is the name usually given to the letter Franz Kafka wrote to his father Hermann in November 1919, indicting him for his emotionally abusive and hypocritical behavior towards him....
, by Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
.
The title
Brainstorm is the official EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
title, but a more literal translation of Bicho de Sete Cabeças would be Seven-Headed Animal. This is a common expression in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
used to describe very difficult things. A student, for example, could say that math is a "seven-headed animal", meaning that it is a hard thread to battle (as the mythological animal was).
The expression is often used to describe an overreaction. When saying that someone "made a seven-headed animal", the person is in fact saying that this "someone" is seeing big difficulties or problems when they are small or even do not exist. In the movie, Neto's father overreacts when sees the cigarette. Instead of trying to solve a small familiar problem, he thought that it was a huge problem that should only be solved with psychiatric
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
intervention. So, it can be said that he made a seven-headed animal.