The Art of Amália

The Art of Amália is a documentary by Bruno de Almeida on the life and career of Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999), the celebrated Portuguese fado singer. The film a 90-minute truncated version of a previous five-hour made-for-television mini-series on the singer; it was also de Almeida’s fourth cinematic project celebrating Rodrigues’ career. [Film Threat interview with Bruno de Almeida [http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=interviews&Id=22] ] The film opens with an on-screen introduction by David Byrne, who praises the singer for “singing in these fado songs about the sadness of the universe, not only about a personal sadness or a tragedy in her own life or in the writer's life, but she was expressing the sadness of existence." [Nitrate Online review of the film [http://www.nitrateonline.com/2000/rAmália.html] ] "The Art of Amália" mixes rare film, television and concert footage from different periods of Rodrigues’ career. The film also presents a previously-lost clip of a very rare appearance by Rodrigues (billed only as “Amália”) on American television in 1953, where she performed her hit song "Coimbro" (better known to U.S. audiences in the English-language version "April in Portugal"}. [Film Threat interview with Bruno de Almeida [http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=interviews&Id=22] ]

"The Art of Amália" also includes the last filmed interview by Rodrigues, who died one week before production was completed. [Rotten Tomatoes coverage of the film [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/art_of_amalia/articles/172991/] ] The singer spoke at length of her career, but not her personal life – Stephen Holden's review in the New York Times faulted de Almeida for omitting mention of Rodrigues’ husband of 36 years, Cesar Sebra. [New York Times review [http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/08/arts/08ROUN.html?ex=1209441600&en=8db03e2544b79c52&ei=5070] ]

The film had its U.S. premiere in March 2000 at a United Nations benefit, and its theatrical premiere in New York in December 2000. To date, it has not been released on DVD.

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External links

*imdb title | id=0204839 | title=The Art of Amália
*" [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/movie-1103054/"The Art of Amália"] at Rotten Tomatoes