When most people think of Brazil, visions of sun bleached sands, tanned beauties in Ipanema bikinis, Rio favelas, and World Cup soccer usually come to mind. However, the same historical paths that led to the beauty of the world’s most outrageous Carnivale setting also produced pockets of forgotten Afro-Brazilian communities known as ‘quilombos’. In director Leonard Abrams’ new documentary, Quilombo Country, the origins of these communities are examined and light is shed on the current conditions of the ‘quilombos’ struggling inhabitants.

“Brazil, once the world’s largest slave colony, was brutal and deadly for millions of Africans. But many thousands escaped and rebelled, creating their own communities in Brazil’s untamed hinterland. Largely unknown to the outside world, these communities, known as quilombos, struggle today to preserve a rich heritage born of resistance to oppression.”- Quilombo Country

Narrated by the legendary voice of Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Quilombo Country is the culmination of over 5 years of travel, research, and interaction in the quilombos. Abrams provides an intimate and provocative glimpse into the lives of a people determined to keep their legacy in tact. This Saturday, February 23rd, Quilombo Country will hold its world theatrical screening in New York City’s Anthology Film Archives, at 8pm. Admission is $8, and the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Abrams and a celebratory reception. If you’re in the city come out to support this important documentary and be sure to carry the experience beyond Black History Month.