Brazilian Oscar And BAFTA Qualifier BINGO: THE KING OF THE MORNINGS To Be Released In UK Cinemas December 15

Empyrean Pictures and Miracle Communications are delighted to announce that their film BINGO: THE KING OF THE MORNINGS from Brazilian award-winning director Daniel Rezende (Oscar Nominee and BAFTA Winner CITY OF GOD), will be released in UK cinemas from 15th December. Starring Vladimir Brichta and Leandra Leal, BINGO: THE KING OF THE MORNINGS tells the true story of Augusto, an irreverent actor searching for his place in the spotlight.

This year’s Brazilian Oscar and BAFTA submission, BINGO: THE KING OF THE MORNINGS is the directorial debut feature for Daniel Rezende who is best known for his Academy Award nominated and BAFTA winning editing work on cult classic CITY OF GOD (2002) as well as his work on Terence Malick’s TREE OF LIFE (2011), ROBOCOP (2014), BLINDNESS (2008) and THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (2004).

Starring Vladimir Brichta, Leandra Leal, Cauã Martins, Augusto Madeira, Tainá Müller, Fernando Sampaio, Soren Hellerup, Emanuelle Araújo, Pedro Bial & Domingos Montagner, written by Luiz Bolognesi, Produced by Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane of Gullane, Warner Bros. and by Dan Klabin and Ariel Elia of Empyrean Pictures, shot by Lula Carvalho, ASC e ABC, the film is based on a true story about the man behind the mask. Executive Producers include Joshua Skurla of Empyrean and João Paulo Magalhães Lins.

Augusto (Vladimir Brichta) is an actor hungry for a place in the spotlight, following the footsteps of his mother, a stage artist in the 50’s. While starring in soft porn and soap operas he finally gets the chance to conquer the crowds when he is cast as “BINGO”, a television host clown. With his irreverent humour and natural talent, the show is a big hit, but a clause on his contract forbids him to reveal his true identity. Augusto becomes an anonymous celebrity. With makeup on, he brings happiness to children across the country but not to his own son Gabriel, that sees his father distancing himself in search of recognition. Filled with irony and humour and an exaggerated pop look from the backstage universe of the Brazilian 80’s television, the film tells the incredible and surreal story of a man that whilst looking for his artistic value, finds his personal decay.

Director Daniel Rezende said "It is not easy to define "Bingo" by picking out only one matter. Essentially it is about a personal search for recognition, about a man's quest to find his place in the spotlight that ends up hidden behind a mask. There's something very contemporary in this topic, we all want to be recognised by our parents, by our sons, our friends. But it is also a film about the relationship between father and son. The protagonist is in such a crazy hunt to be recognised as an artist that he ends up distancing himself from his son. He is on TV, making a lot of children laugh every day, but not his own."

Dan Klabin from Empyrean Pictures said “Bingo is a movie that talks about Brazilian culture in an unusual, original and universal way.”

Ariel Elia from Empyrean Pictures said “Bingo captures the nostalgia of an entire generation in its highly cinematic narrative crafted by Brazil’s finest."

EMPYREAN PICTURES
Empyrean Pictures is a motion picture development and production company founded by Joshua Skurla and Dan Klabin in 2011. Empyrean’s previous projects include Rio Eu Te Amo, from the Cities of Love franchise, Sunlight Jr. starring Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon, and most recently a modern day take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, starring Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Finn Wittrock.

GULLANE | PRODUCTION
Gullane was founded in 1996 by brothers Caio Gullane and Fabiano Gullane and is one of today’s best known and acclaimed Brazilian production companies, having produced over 35 feature films and more than 15 television series. Its productions have been screened at the most important festivals around the world and distributed in many countries.

Among the company’s most notable productions are JUST LIKE OUR PARENTS by Lais Bodanzky (Panorama Special at Berlin 2017); THE SECOND MOTHER by Anna Muylaert (Audience Award at Berlin FF – Panorama, Best Actress at Sundance FF in 2015 and Brazilian Entry at the Oscars 2016); THE VIOLIN TEACHER by Sérgio Machado (Closing Film in Piazza Grande at Locarno FF in 2015); A WOLF AT THE DOOR by Fernando Coimbra (Best Film at San Sebastian FF – Horizontes Latinos and Miami in 2013 and Official Selection at Toronto FF); AMAZONIA 3D by Thierry Ragobert (a French coproduction, Closing Film at Venice FF and Official Selection at Toronto FF in 2013); “RIO 2096, A STORY OF LOVE AND FURY by Luiz Bolognesi (Best Film at Annecy FF in 2013); TABU by Miguel Gomes (a co-production with Portugal, Germany and France, in Competition at Berlin FF in 2012); BIRDWATCHERS by Marco Bechis (a coproduction with Italy, in Competition at Venice FF 2008); THE YEAR MY PARENTS WENT ON VACATION by Cao Hamburger, in Competition at Berlin FF in 2007 and shortlisted for the Academy Awards®); CARANDIRU, by Hector Babenco In Competition at Cannes FF in 2003); and BRAINSTORM by Laís Bodanzky (In Official Selection at Toronto FF and Locarno FF in 2001). Gullane has also produced the trilogy “TILL LUCK DO US PART”, the top Brazilian box office in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

WARNER BROS.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is an integrated entertainment industry with activities in many countries. It is one of the world leaders in the creation, production, distribution, and commercialization of all forms of entertainment. It is a subsidiary of Time Warner Company, and is at the forefront of practically all aspects of domestic entertainment, DVD and BluRay, digital distribution, animation, videogames, brand licensing. Today their film library is one of the largest in the world, with over 7,000 films, and 5,000 television shows.

In Brazil, Warner Bros. Pictures initiated their activities in 1929 and since then has brought to the country countless classics, from Casablanca and Superman, to Harry Potter and, the Hobbit. Their success story in Brazil includes more than 1000 movies launched in cinemas, with a total public of over 500 million people. Warner Bros. Pictures has also invested into local productions, having successful launches with XuXa, Os Penetras, Reis e Ratos, Zuzu Angel, Rio eu Te Amo, A Mulher Invisível, O Vendedor de Sonhos, among others.