Rio, 100 Degrees F°

Rio, 100 Degrees F° (Portuguese title Rio, 40 Graus) is Nelson Pereira dos Santos's feature debut, inspired by Italian Neorealism, following five poor Black children from the Morro de Cabuçu favela selling peanuts at tourist landmarks. The film was initially blocked by censors as a "big lie," but won the director a Special Honor Saci Award and the São Paulo Governor's Award in 1956. Glauber Rocha, the most influential director of the Cinema Novo movement, wrote that watching this film was what pushed him to become a director, calling it the fertilization point of Cinema Novo. Who it's for: anyone curious about a classic that directly influenced the next generation of filmmakers, initially censored before winning awards, considered a turning point in Brazilian cinema. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a glossy, touristic portrait of Rio de Janeiro, since the film looks at the city from its poor favelas.