Bossa Nova Doc ‘Elis and Tom’ Debuts Trailer, Sells to Outsider for U.S: ‘It’s Not Just the Voice That Sings’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Proving that music really knows no borders, documentary Elis and Tom (Elis Tom, S tinha de ser com voc) about the fateful meeting of singer Elis Regina and legendary composer Antnio Carlos Jobim has now sold to U.S. to Outsider Pictures and Portugals Midas.

Elis Regina and Antnio Carlos Jobim came to Los Angeles to create the legendary Elis Tom [album]. I cant wait to share the film with audiences in the U.S., said Outsider Pictures CEO Paul Hudson.

The film will be released theatrically on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles. According to Brazils O2 Play, which is handling international sales, advanced conversations with Japan and Australia are also taking place.

I was Elismanager back then and I recorded rehearsals, conversations and the atmosphere that reigned behind the scenes, revealed director Roberto de Oliveira, referring to five hours of memorable footage of the 1974 recording.

All this material was stored away, but all these years and the time that has passed has been healthy for this story. Today, we know the complete professional journeys of these two exceptional artists and the successful career of this album.

The film, co-directed by Jom Tob Azulay, was produced by Rinoceronte Entretenimento.

While the encounter in question resulted in unforgettable songs and a whole lot of industry gossip, Regina untimely death at just 36 in 1982 left the whole country reeling.

Elis was a perfect singer. She was making a record with Wayne Shorter that was left unfinished and intended to launch her career on the international market. She would probably be successful, just like Jobim, said de Oliveira.

He was a minimalist, he used few notes and was known for his extraordinary, stunning harmonies. Elis was an exuberant singer. After meeting him, she became more restrained, valuing words and interpretation. She discovered its not just the voice that sings.

Watching these two opposites face each other once more on the screen fascinated him the most, he admitted.

[These were] two incredible artists who didnt understand each other personally, but art brings talents together. When these geniuses finally recognized each other, a masterpiece emerged. In the end, they both came out of it bigger and they learnt from each other.

Seeing their meeting as an important example in a society as divided as ours, de Oliveira is also hoping for a dialogue with a new audience, including younger viewers and those who are not familiar with Brazilian music at all.

Tom Jobim was already well-known around the world after Bossa Nova and the album he recorded with Frank Sinatra. His songs Girl from Ipanema and Waters of March, among others, are performed everywhere, he observed.

Elis Regina was a regional success, but the theme of the film is universal, just like the music. This story could have happened anywhere in the world, he stated, also sharing his secret to talking about music in film: The secret is to preserve the emotion it carries. You cant let anything interfere with the performances relationship with the audience.

Elis and Tom Courtesy of O2 Filmes