Rio, 100 Degrees

Five young peanut vendors head from the favelas to the tourist zones in search of easy money in dos Santos’s first film, which was filmed in globally recognizable spots such as Copacabana Beach and Sugar Loaf but which revealed an entirely new side of Rio. Inspired by Italian neorealism but pulsing with a very Brazilian urban beat and attitude, Rio offers both tribute to and critique of its beloved city. For contemporary viewers, it’s also a startling time capsule of fifties samba and street style. Too down and dirty (or possibly “too black”), the film was immediately banned, but widespread public protest led to its eventual release.