Mussum, o Filmis

Mussum, o Filmis, directed by Sílvio Guindane, is a Brazilian biographical film about comedian and musician Antônio Carlos Bernardes Gomes, known as Mussum, tracing his path from a poor childhood through his military service in the Air Force, his ties to the Mangueira samba school, and eventually his joining the famous comedy group Os Trapalhões. The real Mussum secretly began his music career while serving as an Air Force sergeant, recorded on thirteen albums with the group Os Originais do Samba, and became known for his distinctive speech pattern of adding "-is" to the end of words. In 1994 he underwent a heart transplant for heart failure, but died at 53 from sepsis that developed after the surgery. The film won six awards, including Best Film, at the Gramado Film Festival. Who it's for: anyone curious about the real life story of one of Brazil's most beloved comedians, from military service to a samba school to the country's best known comedy troupe, honored with six awards at Gramado. Who it's not for: those unfamiliar with Brazilian popular culture, since the film centers on a local figure not widely known outside the country.