''The Clown'' () is a 2011 Brazilian
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
-
drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
film. It is the second feature film directed by
Selton Mello
Selton Figueiredo Mello (; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on TV shows, Mello gained popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in ''A Dog's Will'' (2000) and ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro, L ...
, who also stars as the protagonist.
[O Palhaço : Curiosidades - AdoroCinema](_blank)
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The film follows the story of the father and son Benjamin and Valdemar, who work as clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue, running the country roads together with the Circus Hope troupe. The clown Benjamin, however, is in crisis. He thinks that he is not funny anymore.
The film was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards
The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, beginning at 5:30 p ...
, but was not nominated.
Plot
The film tells the story of Benjamin and Valdemar, father and son known as the clowns Pangaré and Puro Sangue. They make their living traveling the country with Circus Hope, without a fixed address, no neighbors, and no ID.[O Palhaço filme - Trailer, sinopse e horários - Guia da Semana](_blank)
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The drama begins when Pangaré, tired of life on the road, feels that he is no longer a funny clown, awakening a lifelong dream of having a place to live and a social security number, proof of residence, and an identity card.
Cast
* Paulo José
Paulo José Gómez de Souza (20 March 1937 – 11 August 2021) was a Brazilian actor.
Selected filmography Film
*1965: '' The Priest and the Girl'' - Priest
*1966: '' Todas as Mulheres do Mundo'' - Paulo
*1967: '' Edu, coração de ouro'' - ...
as Valdemar / Puro Sangue
* Selton Mello
Selton Figueiredo Mello (; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on TV shows, Mello gained popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in ''A Dog's Will'' (2000) and ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro, L ...
as Benjamim / Pangaré
* Larissa Manoela as Guilhermina
* Giselle Motta as Lola
* Teuda Bara as Dona Zaira
* Álamo Facó as João Lorota
* Cadu Fávero as Tony Lo Bianco
* Erom Cordeiro as Robson Felix
* Hossen Minussi as Chico Lorota
* Maíra Chasseraux as Lara Lane
* Thogun as Gordini
* Bruna Chiaradia as Justine
* Renato Macedo as Borrachinha
* Tony Tonelada as Meio Quilo
* Fabiana Karla
Fabiana Karla Souza Simões Barbosa (born 30 October 1975) is a Brazilian actress, writer, television presenter and comedian, best known for her work on the Globo sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vig ...
as Tonha
* Jorge Loredo as Nei
* Jackson Antunes as Juca Bigode
* Moacyr Franco as Delegado Justo
* Tonico Pereira
Antônio Carlos de Sousa Pereira (born 22 June 1948), better known as Tonico Pereira, is a Brazilian television and film actor.
Filmography
TV work
References
External links
*
1948 births
Brazilian male actors
Living people
People f ...
as Beto / Deto Papagaio
Production
The film was shot in March and April 2010; in the city of Paulínia
Paulínia is a Brazilian municipality in the interior of the state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo. It is located in the northwest of the São Paulo Macrometropolis and is about 119 km from the São Paulo, state capital. It occupies an ar ...
, São Paulo
São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
, and some scenes in the district of Conceição do Ibitipoca, Lima Duarte, Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...
.
Director and star of ''O Palhaço'', Selton Mello said in an interview that the film is "a mixture of Oscarito
Oscarito, stage name of Oscar Lorenzo Jacinto de la Inmaculada Concepción Teresa Diaz (August 16, 1906 – August 4, 1970) was a Spanish-Brazilian actor, considered to be one of the most popular comedians of Brazil.
Life
Born in a family of c ...
, Didi Mocó and Bye Bye Brazil
''Bye Bye Brazil'' () is a 1979 comedy film co-written and directed by Carlos Diegues. Starring José Wilker, Betty Faria and Fábio Jr., the film follows a circus troupe travelling through Brazil, seeking surviving late 1970's societal changes ...
." He said the production helped him to get rid of depression. Mello showed the script to actors Wagner Moura
Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (; born 27 June 1976) is a Brazilian actor, voice-actor and filmmaker. His accolades include the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''The Secret Agent'' (2025), as well as a Golden Globe n ...
and Rodrigo Santoro
Rodrigo Junqueira Reis Santoro (; born 22 August 1975) is a Brazilian actor. He is known in Brazil for his appearance on local telenovelas and internationally for his portrayal of Persian King Xerxes I of Persia, Xerxes in the film ''300 (film), ...
, offering them the lead role, but the schedule prevented both from accepting the invitation.
Release
The film premiered on October 28, 2011 in 200 theaters throughout Brazil.
Reception
Box office
In the first three days of release the film grossed R$ 2 million, reaching the milestone of 1 million viewers in the third week of screening.
Awards and nominations
São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards
* Won: Best Director - Selton Mello
Selton Figueiredo Mello (; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on TV shows, Mello gained popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in ''A Dog's Will'' (2000) and ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro, L ...
4th Festival Paulínia de CinemaO Palhaço ganha quatro prêmios no 4º Festival de Cinema de Paulínia - Notícias - Imagem Filmes
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* Won: Best Director - Selton Mello
Selton Figueiredo Mello (; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on TV shows, Mello gained popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in ''A Dog's Will'' (2000) and ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro, L ...
* Won: Best Script - Selton Mello
Selton Figueiredo Mello (; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on TV shows, Mello gained popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in ''A Dog's Will'' (2000) and ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro, L ...
and Marcelo Vindicatto
* Won: Best Supporting Actor - Moacyr Franco
* Won: Best Costume Design - Kika Lopes
See also
*
*
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clown, The
2011 comedy-drama films
2011 films
Brazilian comedy-drama films
Films about clowns
Films directed by Selton Mello
Films shot in Minas Gerais
Films shot in Paulínia
2010s Portuguese-language films
2010s Brazilian films