Composer of hits such as 'Antes de Dizer Adeus' and 'Farol das Estrelas', Altay Veloso releases musical documentary about Zumbi dos Palmares

The composer of hits, such as "Antes de Dizer Adeus" and "Farol das Estrelas", created and wrote the soundtrack for "Palmares: A Herança Musical", a musical documentary film that tells the story of Zumbi dos Palmares. The film premieres in Salvador this Wednesday (11), at Cine Teatro 2 de Julho.

With the participation of figures such as Antônio Pitanga, Déo Garcez, Isabel Fillardis, Mariene de Castro and Péricles, the work presents the behind-the-scenes of the creation of the soundtrack for "Auto Zumbi dos Palmares", signed by Altay Veloso. It is managed by Dom Filó, co-founder of Cultne, the largest collection of black memory in Latin America, and David Obadia, partner and director of Creation and Content at CultneTV.

Based on testimonies from artists, researchers and experts in Afro-Brazilian culture, the production covers the history of Zumbi dos Palmares through music, telling the trajectory of resistance of the black population, with emphasis on the influence of this legacy on the formation of Brazilian cultural identity.

In an interview with g1, Altay said that the project did not come about by chance. It arose from a request by Antônio Pompêo, former director of Promotion, Studies, Research and Dissemination of Afro-Brazilian Culture at the Palmares Foundation, who, shortly after the completion of the opera "Alabê de Jerusalem", invited Altay to develop a production along the same lines to tell the story of the quilombola leader Zumbi dos Palmares.

In order to turn Pompêo's request into reality, the musician gathered a strong team for the project. In the direction, he invited a long-time partner: Dom Filó, journalist, documentary filmmaker, cultural producer, as well as one of the creators of the Cultne institute, the largest collection of black memory in Latin America.

Soldiers of Ancestry

From Altay's perspective, "Palmares: A Herança Musical" seeks to confront the historical narratives that have dehumanized black people over the centuries. The bet is that the new generation will be able to break through the barriers imposed through the use of technology.

According to the composer, the documentary represents just the beginning of a broader effort to rescue the history and contributions of the black population in the country. "It's just a start. We still have a lot to tell. About the letters of manumission, the stories of our great masters, great warriors, extremely important people in the 19th and 20th centuries, but who disappeared", says Altay.

"They carried out a whole production of dehumanization of our (black) people. They achieved this for a certain period of time. From now on it can't be done, there's no way, because now we have pen and paper in our hands. We're paying attention, there are young kids very ready to use the most modern tools. There's no way around it, now each of us will tell our own story."

From the artist's perspective, black figures with political, economic and social relevance ended up being made invisible throughout the 20th century. And, by highlighting the role of culture in this process of reconstructing memory, art can bring the public closer to these stories.

"Music has the ability to cross time and keep stories alive that cannot be forgotten. I want the public to connect not only with Zumbi's trajectory, but also with the strength and legacy of a people who continue to be present in the construction of Brazilian identity. Transforming this story into music and taking it to the audiovisual is a way of making this memory reach new generations", comments Altay.

Also in an interview with g1, Dom Filó, director of the documentary alongside David Obadia, said that technological transformations in access to the history of the black population are one of the main sources that the new generation has.

"I'm from the 1949 generation. So, I didn't have any information. The reference that was given to me was the book Casa-Grande & Senzala. Today, the kids arrive and open a collection with the most technological and modern means, such as the Cultne collection, and have access to our history told by us", said the director.

According to him, the last 50 years have represented a profound change in the way black history has come to be known and preserved in recent decades. And, even in his time, full of difficulties, an ancestral intuition led him to always record black history.

Within this context, Filó sees Altay as an entity, considering his full potential with musicality. And, therefore, he defines their relationship as "soldiers of ancestry", who do everything governed, guided and in favor of this ancestral essence.

Assembly used AI resources

Given the lack of audiovisual materials that portrayed the time, Filó says that the team used artificial intelligence to illustrate certain scenes and bring the ideal visual aspect to some sections of the documentary. "We used artificial intelligence in a competent, professional way. To illustrate moments that no one had recorded. With the purpose of bringing easier understanding", said the director.

On the other hand, to guarantee the historical and academic basis of what was being presented, the work was also attended by three researchers, the philosopher Helena Theodoro and the historians Zezito de Araújo and Flávio Gomes.

Still on the construction of the documentary, Dom Filó pointed out that the production chose to record the events spontaneously, without interfering with the behavior of the participants during the recordings. So, the team often let the interpreters flow on stage. "We know the brilliance of each one, what we can extract, but, in this case, we let spontaneity flow", said the director.

This decision meant that the posture during recordings was more discreet, with the aim of preserving the naturalness of the creative process. According to Filó, the camera was in the corner, without being the protagonist, so as not to influence the team's performance.

Still according to the director, the relationship with spontaneity also influenced Altay's own creative process, which was taken to his farm in Freiburg, a place that encourages and favors the artist's creation thanks to nature and the climate.

Financial difficulties did not prevent the purpose

Despite the complicity between Dom Filó and Altay Veloso, difficulties arose throughout the process. Initially, the goal was to travel to seven Brazilian capitals with the presence of Altay, the screening of the documentary and the participation of local guests, such as artists and academics. However, the desired budget was not reached, which caused plans to change.

"We designed this project for seven cities, but unfortunately we were unable to raise the necessary amount. We managed to obtain around 45%, granted by Globo based on the Rouanet Law" stated the director.

When detailing the values, Dom Filó stated that the initial budget was approximately R$950 thousand, but funding was around R$415 thousand.

With less than half the desired amount, the team had to change the planning. Instead of seven, only three cities (Rio de Janeiro, Maceió and Salvador) were included. Therefore, they had to leave Maranhão (where the historical events occurred), São Paulo and the South region out of the itinerary.

"Part of a financial process, of course. Between Rio de Janeiro, which is our base, Maceió and Salvador, we achieved a significant reduction in costs, mainly with air transport", stated Filó. He also highlighted the symbolic importance of Salvador for the circulation of the project, due to the city's strong relationship with blackness.

Even with the limitations, for Altay and Dom Filó, the visit to these three cities represents only the initial stage of the project, which involves the complete staging of the opera on Palmares. "This is the context for the first phase of a major project. We want to be at the forefront with the complete opera on Palmares, taking to the stage like 'Alabê de Jerusalem'", declared the director.

The documentary will have free screenings in the three capitals. In Maceió, the screening took place on November 9th, at 7pm, at Cine Arte Pajuçara. In Salvador, the session takes place this November 11th, also at 7pm, at Cine Teatro 2 de Julho. In Rio de Janeiro, the public will be able to watch the performance on November 13th, at 6:30 pm, at the Léa Garcia Theater, located at the Correios Cultural Center. Tickets must be collected one hour in advance.