Baby do Brasil, a standout in Brazilian music,takes center stage in “Apopcalipse segundo Baby,” directed by Rafael Saar. It premiered at 21st Mostra de Cinema de Ouro Preto (CineOP) with Baby present. Soon, it hits theaters nationwide. That extra "P" in the title? Nods to Baby's deep pop culture roots.
Born Bernadete Dinorah de Carvalho Cidade in Niterói, her career breaks from usual pop paths. A mix of tropicalismo, psychedelia, rock, MPB, samba, and performance art. In the documentary,young Baby talks about her love for actress Brigitte Bardot, whose features she felt mirrored her own .
18 years of research went into this film. Interviews from her Novos Baianos days, home videos by partner Pepeu Gomes,dramatized scenes. Saar stresses trust was key with Baby for film. “Making a biography is delicate because you delve into someone’s life and lives of those around them,” he said.
Early in the film,Baby shares turning point at 17,leaving home on a bus to Salvador with counterculture figures,like poet Waly Salomão. He gave her a microphone, which she saw as sign. In Bahia, she met artists like Moraes Moreira and Paulinho Boca de Cantor,starting with Novos Baianos. Faced struggles, like living on streets after eviction. “I took Pepeu with me,” she remembers.
“Apopcalipse segundo Baby” tracks her journey from Novos Baianos to collaborations with Gomes and solo work . Highlights her distinctive voice,charisma,and unique performances,constants in her 50-year career. Also,her role as mother to Sarah Sheeva and Pedro Baby.
Film skips controversies,like her Christianity conversion or the 2024 carnival incident with Ivete Sangalo. During that,Baby stopped a performance to say,“Everyone pay attention because we are entering an apocalypse.”
While avoiding hot topics, “Apopcalipse segundo Baby” captures Baby do Brasil’s artistic rise. Perfect intro for young audiences to discover her legacy…
