Empyrean Pictures and Miracle Communications have announced that their film Bingo: The King of the Mornings [Bingo: O Rei das Manhãs] from Brazilian award-winning director Daniel Rezende, will be released in UK cinemas from 15th December. Starring Vladimir Brichta and Leandra Leal, Bingo: The King of the Mornings tells the true story of Augusto, an irreverent actor searching for his place in the spotlight. 

This year’s Brazilian Oscar and BAFTA submission, Bingo: The King of the Mornings is the directorial debut feature for Daniel Rezende who is best known for his Academy Award nominated and BAFTA winning editing work on cult classic City of God (2002) as well as his work on Terence Malick’s Tree of Life (2011), Robocop (2014), Blindness (2008) and The Motorcycle Diaries (2004). 

Starring Vladimir Brichta, Leandra Leal, Cauã Martins, Augusto Madeira, Tainá Müller, Fernando Sampaio, Soren Hellerup, Emanuelle Araújo, Pedro Bial & Domingos Montagner, written by Luiz Bolognesi, Produced by Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane of Gullane, Warner Bros. and by Dan Klabin and Ariel Elia of Empyrean Pictures, shot by Lula Carvalho, the film is based on a true story about the man behind the mask. Executive Producers include Joshua Skurla of Empyrean and João Paulo Magalhães Lins.

Augusto (Vladimir Brichta) is an actor hungry for a place in the spotlight, following the footsteps of his mother, a stage artist in the 50’s. While starring in soft porn and soap operas he finally gets the chance to conquer the crowds when he is cast as “BINGO”, a television host clown. With his irreverent humour and natural talent, the show is a big hit, but a clause on his contract forbids him to reveal his true identity. Augusto becomes an anonymous celebrity. With makeup on, he brings happiness to children across the country but not to his own son Gabriel, that sees his father distancing himself in search of recognition. Filled with irony and humour and an exaggerated pop look from the backstage universe of the Brazilian 80’s television, the film tells the incredible and surreal story of a man that whilst looking for his artistic value, finds his personal decay.

Director Daniel Rezende said:

"It is not easy to define "Bingo" by picking out only one matter. Essentially it is about a personal search for recognition, about a man's quest to find his place in the spotlight that ends up hidden behind a mask. There's something very contemporary in this topic, we all want to be recognised by our parents, by our sons, our friends. But it is also a film about the relationship between father and son. The protagonist is in such a crazy hunt to be recognised as an artist that he ends up distancing himself from his son. He is on TV, making a lot of children laugh every day, but not his own."

Dan Klabin from Empyrean Pictures said: 

“Bingo is a movie that talks about Brazilian culture in an unusual, original and universal way.”

Ariel Elia from Empyrean Pictures said: 

“Bingo captures the nostalgia of an entire generation in its highly cinematic narrative crafted by Brazil’s finest."