Dzi Croquettes

{{Infobox film

| name = Dzi Croquettes

| image = Dzi Croquettes.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| director = Raphael Alvarez
Tatiana Issa

| producer =

| writer =

| narrator =

| starring =

| music =

| cinematography =

| editing =

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| released = {{Film date|2009|10|4|Rio International Film Festival|2010|7|16|Brazil}}

| runtime = 110 minutes

| country = Brazil

| language = English
French
Portuguese

| budget =

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}}

Dzi Croquettes is a 2009 Brazilian documentary film directed by Tatiana Issa and Raphael Alvarez about the dance and theater group of the same name.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/movies/dzi-croquettes-revisits-brazilian-dance-troupe-review.html |title=Dzi Croquettes (2009) |last=Genzlinger |first=Neil |date=November 17, 2011 |website=The New York Times |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727012638/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/movies/dzi-croquettes-revisits-brazilian-dance-troupe-review.html |archive-date=July 27, 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.culturaldaily.com/dzi-croquettes-glittere-dance-and-family-in-the-face-of-repression/ |title=Dzi Croquettes: Glitter, dance and family in the face of repression |last=Britton |first=Campbell |date=November 17, 2011 |website=Cultural Daily |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124065434/https://www.culturaldaily.com/dzi-croquettes-glittere-dance-and-family-in-the-face-of-repression/ |archive-date=January 24, 2022}}

Overview

The Dzi Croquettes were a groundbreaking dance and theater group who used their talent and a mix of humor and derision to challenge the violent dictatorship that gripped Brazil in the 1970s. Creating a new stage language that would influence an entire generation, this theater group revolutionized the gay movement despite being banned and censored by the military regime. Through interviews and archival footage of the group's performances, directors Raphael Alvarez and Tatiana Issa reveal the origin of the group, their relentless perfectionism, and their unexpected stroke of luck when Liza Minnelli becomes a godmother of sorts to them. However, it also gives an honest account of the sadness of their final years when tension, egos, AIDS, and even murder ripped them apart. The film combines candid interviews with group members and current Brazilian and International artists, showing how this group never flinched from challenging conventional notions of acceptable "masculine" or "feminine" behavior.{{cite web |url=http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=21118&fid=40 |title=Dzi Croquettes |website=Palm Springs Film Festival |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054718/http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=21118&fid=40 |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

Release

The film had its US premiere at the acclaimed MoMA (Museum of Modern Art in New York){{Cite web |url=http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/9753 |title=MoMA | Dzi Croquettes |access-date=2015-08-20 |archive-date=2015-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510144835/http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/9753 |url-status=dead }} followed by theatrical release in the United States at the IFC Village Cinemas{{Cite web |url=http://www.ifccenter.com/films/dzi-croquettes/ |website=IFC Center |title=DZI Croquettes |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118030942/http://www.ifccenter.com/films/dzi-croquettes/ |archive-date=November 18, 2011}} in New York and Sunset 5 Cinemas{{cite web |url=http://www.laemmle.com/search?q=dzi+croquettes&x=0&y=0in |title=Dzi Croquettes |website=Laemmle |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808231155/http://www.laemmle.com/search?q=dzi+croquettes&x=0&y=0in |archive-date=August 8, 2016}} Los Angeles, besides theatrical release in Europe and Brazil.

Reception

The film received outstanding reviews in major newspapers such as New York Times, Los Angeles Times,{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-dzi-croquettes-capsules-20111111,0,5882221.story |title=Movie review: 'Dzi Croquettes' |date=November 11, 2011 |website=Los Angeles Times |first=Kevin |last=Thomas |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128185756/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/11/entertainment/la-et-dzi-croquettes-capsules-20111111 |archive-date=November 28, 2011}} LA Weekly,{{cite web |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/film-tv/dzi-croquettes-review/ |title=Dzi Croquettes review |date=November 11, 2011 |website=LA Weekly |first=Ernest |last=Hardy |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111115052431/ttp://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/film-tv/dzi-croquettes-review/ |archive-date=November 15, 2011}} Film Journal International,{{Cite web |url=http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/reviews/specialty-releases/e3i8d10524efa510540ce7b5b6897e0d70e |title=Film Review: Dzi Croquettes |date=November 10, 2011 |website=Film Journal International |first=David |last=Noh |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113055006/http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/reviews/specialty-releases/e3i8d10524efa510540ce7b5b6897e0d70e |archive-date=November 13, 2011}} Time Out New York,{{cite web |url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/dzi-croquettes |title=Dzi Croquettes |website=Time Out |first=Andrew |last=Schenker |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921103947/https://www.timeout.com/movies/dzi-croquettes |archive-date=September 21, 2020}} Village Voice, among others.

Awards

2009 - Festival do Rio (Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival) - Best Documentary Jury Award
2009 - Festival do Rio (Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival) - Best Documentary Audience Award
2009 - São Paulo International Film Festival - Best Documentary Itamaraty Award (Foreign Ministry Award){{cite web |url=https://mubi.com/en/films/dzi-croquettes/awards |title=Awards & Festivals Dzi Croquettes |website=Mubi |access-date=June 10, 2025}}
2009 - São Paulo International Film Festival - Best Documentary Audience Award
2009 - 17th Mix Brazil International Film Festival - Best Documentary Audience Award
2009 - 5th Festcine Goiania - Best Editing
2010 - Festival IN-EDIT 2010 - (In-Edit Documentary Film Festival) - Best Documentary Award
2010 - LABRFF 2010 - (Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival) - Best Documentary Award
2010 - San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival - Frameline Outstanding Documentary Jury Award{{cite web |url=http://www.frameline.org/festival/news/detail.aspx?NID=168&FID=47&year=2010 |title=Frameline34 Awards Announced |date=June 28, 2010 |website=Frameline |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706004433/http://www.frameline.org/festival/news/detail.aspx?NID=168&FID=47&year=2010 |archive-date=July 6, 2010}}
2010 - Dance, Camera, West Los Angeles - DCW 2010 Best Outstanding Documentary Jury Award {{cite web |url=http://www.dancecamerawest.org/previous.htm |title=Archives |website=Dance, Camera, West |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616063603/http://www.dancecamerawest.org/previous.htm |archive-date=June 16, 2010}}
2010 - Brazilian Film Festival of MIAMI Miami- Best Film By the Audience Award{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000434/2010/1/ |title=Miami Brazilian Film Festival 2010 |website=IMDb |access-date=June 10, 2025}}
2010 - Brazilian Film Festival of LONDON London, U.K - Best Documentary Jury Award {{cite web |url=http://www.brazilianfilmfestival.com/londres.html |title=Balanco do 2º Brazilian Film Festival of London - 2010 |website=Brazilian Film Festival of Miami |language=Portuguese |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427095746/http://brazilianfilmfestival.com/londres.html |archive-date=April 27, 2011}}
2010 - Torino International GLBT Film Festival Torino, Italy - WINNER Best Documentary Audience Award {{Cite web|url=http://www.gayburg.com/2010/04/i-vincitori-del-25-torino-glbt-film.html|title = I vincitori del 25° Torino GLBT film Festival|date = 26 April 2010}}
2011 - SESC Best Films of the Year São Paulo, Brazil - WINNER Best Documentary of the Year http://spoilermovies.com.br/2011/04/07/festival-sesc-melhores-filmes-2010/ {{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
2011 - Brazilian Academy Awards Grande Premio do Cinema Brasileiro - Brazil. WINNER Best Documentary {{cite web |url=http://academiabrasileiradecinema.com.br/gp2011/votacao |title=Voto Popular |language=Portuguese |website=Grande Premio do Cinema Brasileiro |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214071459/http://academiabrasileiradecinema.com.br/gp2011/votacao |archive-date=February 14, 2014}}
2011 - Brazilian Academy Awards Grande Premio do Cinema Brasileiro - Brazil. WINNER Best Editing
2011 - Brazilian Golden Globes ACIE Foreign Press Awards - Brazil. WINNER Best Film of the Year {{cite web |url=http://www.premioaciedecinema.com.br/2011.htm |title=Edições Anteriores |website=Premio ACIE de Cinema |language=Portuguese |access-date=June 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130113806/http://www.premioaciedecinema.com.br/2011.htm |archive-date=January 30, 2013}}

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.dzicroquettesthemovie.com/}}
{{IMDb title|1532945|Dzi Croquettes}}
[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-dzi-croquettes-capsules-20111111,0,5882221.story Review by the Los Angeles Times ]
[https://movies.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/movies/dzi-croquettes-revisits-brazilian-dance-troupe-review.html?ref=movies Review by The New York Times ]
[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941463.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 Review at Variety Magazine]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20111113055006/http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/reviews/specialty-releases/e3i8d10524efa510540ce7b5b6897e0d70e Review at the Film Journal International by David Noh]
[http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-11-16/film/dzi-croquettes/ Review at the Village Voice]
[http://newyork.timeout.com/arts-culture/film/2228273/review-dzi-croquettes Review by Time Out New York]
[http://www.laweekly.com/2011-11-10/film-tv/dzi-croquettes-review/ Review by L.A Weekly]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20111122013347/http://www.culturalweekly.com/dzi-croquettes-glittered-sex-dance-and-family-in-the-face-of-repression.html Review by Cultural Weekly]
[https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/dzi-croquettes/5901 Review by Slant Magazine]