Organize a Screening
If your association, school or group has an interest in hosting a screening, let's talk. We can help you organize it.
Contribute
If you live in Bahia or are traveling there in the future, take a look at several options you have for helping with groups like those featured in our film.
Get the Press Kit - text only
Members of the press, grab complete information about the film and our project with this text release. 375 KB.
Get the Press Kit - full version
Get our entire press kit here. It includes the press release, photos, logos, and the trailer in QuickTime. 59MB.
Video Podcasts
This is a media project. Instead of writing lengthy newsletters, we'd rather just show you what we're doing with moving images and sound.
The Film
Film Synopsis
Rhythmic Uprising is a documentary that shows how the transformative powers of Afro-Brazilian performing arts are used to fight racism and inequality in Bahia, Brazil.
The celebrated Afro-Brazilian region of Bahia is known for it's vibrant dance and music manifestations. This film takes a look behind the scenes of those grandiose carnaval spectacles to see how local cultural leaders utilize these arts to change lives.
Bahia boasts the largest concentration of african descendants outside of Africa. As shown in Rhythmic Uprising, Brazil's blacks have used Afro-Brazilian cultural conventions to maintain their African heritage and wage war on poverty, racism, and oppression over the last four centuries. As freed slave communities called 'quilombos' did during the time of slavery, cultural leaders 
featured in the film are dismissing the racist, unbalanced power structures of modern Brazilian society by organizing their own microcosms. They cultivate social institutions based on equality and African heritage that function as refuge for at-risk black youth. In contrast to larger Brazilian society, these groups empower and encourage their youth to pursue brighter futures.
Cultural projects featured in the film include an all-women drum corps named DiDá, a circus group heavily rooted in Afro-Brazilian expressions named Circo Picolino, a theater group that portrays African myths named Bejé Eró and a Capoeira Angola association named ACANNE. Historical Afro-Brazilian cultural conventions featured in the film include capoeira, candomblé, quilombos, afoxês, and blocos afros.
Meet the Production Crew:
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Benjamin Watkins, DirectorBen has been developing this project since 2004 is highly committed to seeing it through. Feel free to contact him with any ideas of collaboration or distribution. ben@rhythmicuprising.org |
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Paulo Rogério Nunes, Co-producerRogério is a perfect co-producer. Through his role as founder and Executive Director of the Insituto de Mídia Étnica, he's extremely well connected in both the indie media and black movements of Bahia. Rogério's e-mail |
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Eliciana Nascimento, Co-producer and VideographerEliciana has been there in our most critical hours of filming. As a Bahian media activist, she has lent the project a great amount of sensibility, technical knowledge, and cultural understanding. Eliciana's e-mail |
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Greg Swingle, Executive Producer and VideographerSince our first scout in August of 2004, Greg was one of our principal camera operators. He's an officer of Big Wonderful inc and plays the role of Exec. Producer on the film. He's also donated a lot of his time and know-how to each of the groups involved. www.gregswingle.com | greg's email |
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Keiko Tamura, Research CoordinatorTaking time from her busy schedule as a production coordinator in New York City, Keiko enriches the project with valuable contacts and information. She's driven by her love for the children and staff at Circo Picolino. Keiko's e-mail |
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André Santana, Line ProducerAndré Santana is a journalist and the Director of Communications at the Instituto de Mídia Étnica. André played a critical part in for the project - covering Circo Picolino's most important annual performances for us. He also covers press-related issues in Brazil André's E-mail |
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Judy Durkin, Volunteer Translator and Video Trainer Judy is a Paulista currently living in Cape Verde. She played a central role in the video workshops at Beje Eró and conducted legal research on behalf of the project. |
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Bill Delano, Volunteer Videographer and Video TrainerBill is an experienced documentary filmmaker who derives life's greatest satisfaction by empowering others with the ability to shoot and share their own stories using today's newest technologies. He led video training with kids at Bejê Eró. Bill's e-mail |
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Jussara Valim, Translator and GuideDuring our scout in August, 2004, Jussara was both our translator and local expert in Bahia. She is currently living in Spain and has vowed her dedication to Spanish subtitles for the film. Jussara's e-mail |
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Andrew Callard, Researcher and InterviewerPassionate about investigating musical traditions in Bahia, Andrew conducted most of the interviews we taped in our 2004 scout. Andrew is a high-school teacher and professional musician living in Washington DC. Andrew's e-mail |
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Andy Taray, BrandingAndy Taray is a talented designer based in Akron, Ohio. He developed the much-celebrated logo and branding for the project. Andy's website. Andy's e-mail |
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Jason Garber, Podcast and Website DeveloperJason's a web titan, photographer and musician. He's helped the project embrace the incredible opportunities that new internet technologies provide. He's a great friend to have on the front lines of the global media revolution. Jason's e-mail |
Meet the Production Companies
Rhythmic Uprising is a Brazil-USA coproduction. Big Wonderful Inc. is a small production company started by owners Greg Swingle and Rhythmic Uprising's Director Benjamin Watkins. It specializes in video production as well as interactive design and development. 
It's the official business vehicle for the Rhythmic Uprising film in theUnited States.
Candace Cine & Video is a small production company located in Salvador, Brazil. Due to their commitment to socially constructive media, their local context, and interest in cultural productions, we've decided to co-produce with them.
The film has also counted on the guidance of Paulo Rogério Nunes' organization Instituto de Mídia Étnica.