Stars and Stardom in Brazilian Cinema

Despite the recent explosion of scholarly interest in "star studies," Brazilian film has received comparatively little attention. As this volume demonstrates, however, the richness of Brazilian stardom extends well beyond the ubiquitous Carmen Miranda. Among the studies assembled here are fascinating explorations of figures such as Eliane Lage (the star attraction of São Paulo's Vera Cruz studios), cult horror movie auteur Coffin Joe, and Lázaro Ramos, the most visible Afro-Brazilian actor today. At the same time, contributors interrogate the inner workings of the star system in Brazil, from the pioneering efforts of silent-era actresses to the recent advent of the non-professional movie star.

Joao Luiz Vieira is Professor of Film and Video at the Federal Fluminense University, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro. He has a doctorate in Cinema Studies from New York University and has held fellowships at the University of New Mexico the University of Iowa. Among his publications are Cinema Novo and Beyond (1998) and Camera-faca: o cinema de Sergio Bianchi (2004).