Black Orpheus, also known as Orfeu Negro in Portuguese, is a 1959 French-Italian-Brazilian film directed by Marcel Camus. It is based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice but retold in a contemporary Brazilian setting during Carnaval.
The film takes place in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and follows the story of Orfeu, a guitar player and streetcar conductor who falls in love with Eurydice, a country girl who has come to the city to escape a stalker. As Carnaval gets underway, Orfeu and Eurydice become the targets of several plot twists and turns that threaten to keep them apart forever.
The film is known for its visually stunning cinematography, which captures the vibrancy and chaos of Carnaval in Rio. It is also renowned for its groundbreaking use of Bossa Nova music, which was relatively unknown outside of Brazil before the film's release.
Black Orpheus received critical acclaim upon its release and went on to win the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival. It has since been recognized as a classic of world cinema and has been influential in shaping the international perception of Brazilian culture.