Brazil's classic 'Xica da Silva' gets 4K restoration for nationwide re‑release
The 1976 Brazilian film *Xica da Silva*, directed by Cacá Diegues and starring Zezé Motta, is returning to cinemas across the country on 16 July. The 50th‑anniversary screening is part of the Sessão Vitrine Petrobras programme, which aims to bring restored classics back to the public. A pre‑premiere was held on 14 July in Rio de Janeiro’s Sala José Wilker, attended by the director’s widow Renata Magalhães, representatives of Vitrine Filmes, members of the Acadêmicos do Salgueiro samba school and the restoration team.
The film has been digitally restored in 4K by researcher Débora Butruce, who explains, “Restaurar não é melhorar a obra. É recuperar o que o tempo e as más condições de preservação ... trouxeram”. The restoration seeks to recover the original visual quality without altering the work’s aesthetic, presenting the story of Chica da Silva – a formerly enslaved woman who rose to prominence in 18th‑century Minas Gerais – to a new generation. The original release attracted over 3 million viewers, and organisers hope the revived version will both preserve Brazilian cinematic heritage and spark fresh interest in the historic figure.