NEW DOCUMENTARY FEATURE by Wendy Dent

 

Sun, surf, sex and samba - and those infamous 'dental floss' Brazilian bikinis;

 

Rio de Janeiro may be paradise on earth for the hedonistic jet-setters of the world to party the night away. It's a city where dressing up means dressing down, and the competition between women to attract men's attention is high; local legend has it that Brazil's population ratio is seven women to every man - to which a Brazilian sociologist allegedly replied "really, but I have only three, I mustn't have been paying attention"

 

And then there is the music; If you don't have money, you can still have rhythm. And a hip fusion of Brazilian jazz, dance, trance and funk has become the beat of a new generation.

 

"The Girl From Ipanema" put Rio de Janeiro and bossa nova music on the map 40 years ago, when Antonio Carlos Jobim scribed his lyrics about a "tall, tanned, young and lovely" girl walking past a then unknown Ipanema cafe.

 

And the girls of Rio de Janeiro are still living up to their reputation today. It's easy to spot a "Carioca" (Rio de Janeiro resident) in Brazil - because their hips have a personality of their own!

 

But while the samba beat goes on, its easy to forget that Rio de Janeiro has also long been infamous as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, with over 3000 murders a year and crime sprees regularly targeting tourist areas like Ipanema.

 

In peak tourist periods such as Carnival an "arrastao" (or large band) of thieves from the nearby shantytowns have been reported to sweep the beach in a line from both directions; Few escape being robbed. Some Cariocas say this is 'folkloric'. Others say that armed holdups are common-place.

 

A famous Brazilian soap star was reportedly strolling the beach in her US $300 Chanel bikini when she was robbed at gunpoint - the thieves forcing her to strip then escaping with her bikini. Not that it stops anyone going to the beach.

In 2002 the dangers in Rio de Janeiro intensified. Brazil suffered a torrent of floods, an epidemic in Dengue Fever, a rapidly devaluating currency, leaving Brazil on the brink of political and economic collapse, and an escalating war between the drug lords and police in its "favelas" - some of the largest and poorest shantytowns in South America directly next to the richest areas of Rio de Janeiro, such as Ipanema Beach.

 

But no-one seems to notice, because Brazil won the 2002 World Cup Futebol, it's Fashion Week in Rio, Naomi Campbell is in town, and the hottest young models in the hottest new season bikinis are strutting their stuff on the catwalk.

 

As whispers of "Ronaldo's here, Ronaldo's here" run through the Fashion Week crowd, all eyes turn to the catwalk stage. The backdrop of course is Rio de Janeiro's iconic Ipanema beach.

As the models stride the stage and some of Brazil's most famous stars make surprise appearances, the crowd cheers. The new style on show, for the Complex B 2003 collection, is all about being proud to be a "Carioca" (a Rio resident).

 

Sexy, bold and brassy beachwear numbers for cool Cariocas are emblazoned with the names and symbols of Rio de Janeiro - such as the outstretched hand of the famous Christ statue strategically positioned over the groin... The crowd loves it.

And the girls on the beach now say that the 'fio dental' (Brazil's trademark 'dental floss' bikini) is now vulgar. Not that the days of fio dental are gone. Prostitutes lining the Copacabana beachfront still wear their fio dental with pride, pushing the old adage 'less is more' to the extreme.

Such matters are especially important to "Carioca's", where what beach you go to -and even what 'post' of the beach you are at - is just as much a fashion statement as what skimpy piece of swimwear you have clinging precariously to your trim and tanned limbs.

 

With endless kilometres of beachfront lining Rio de Janeiro, including the famous Copacabana beach, the competition is high. But the hip young designers of the season's new bikinis will tell you that the hottest place to be is 'posto nove' (post 9) of their beloved Praia de Ipanema (Ipanema beach).

All along the beachfront people play guitars, smoke joints, practice fire-twirling or acrobatics, and join in games of 'futebol', 'fresco ball' and beach volleyball.

Then as the sun sets over Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Mountain in the distance, young lovers escape to the rocks at the end of Ipanema for private rendes-vous, or party the night away in bars to the latest hip hop, funk, dance, trance and techno music.

While the beach is the ultimate equaliser of Brazil, and everyone is free to walk where-ever they please, Carioca's know that each 'posto' (or post) of the beach attracts its own distinct subculture. There is the "posto gay", "posto surfistas" (the surfie's post), the "posto political" (the political movement post) and more.

 

But if you really want to 'be seen' on Ipanema beach, the trendiest spot to spread your sarong is 'posto nove' (post 9), where the young bold and beautiful all stand to attention. After all, who wants to lie down when standing gives you a better view to check out the hottest bods ahead?

GIRLS FROM IPANEMA

- an edgy and entertaining view of life on Brazil's most beautiful beach

 

 

Girls From Ipanema; a new Wendy Dent film

 

Girls From Ipanema ; Sydney premiere

 

QUOTES & photos from the film

 

LINKS & photos from the film

 

Film Festival / premiere news

 

Reviews - English

 

Reviews - Portugues

 

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