O Crepusculo: Sao Paulo

Fotonovelas, which are most easily explained as dramatic pulp-fiction tales akin to comic strips but with photos instead of drawings, have enjoyed brief success in the States, but many people internationally — including Brazilians — grew up reading (or should I say looking) at this neat story format. Curitiba’s Fabiano Vianna, who goes by the nickname Fabz, started up O Crepusculo last year, a site featuring modern fotonovelas set to music that he directs, writes and designs with the help of talented friends. Along with those who know how to (wo)man a camera, makeup and other necessary duties, some of the actors are members of a band called Os Dissonantes, and they provide some of the soundtracks. The mini-stories are done really well, in a film noir style, but are refreshingly updated with influences of Tim Burton, Frank Miller and Quentin Tarantino. Fabz also throws in Hitchcock, Woody Allen and porn fotonovelas from the ’60s and ’70s as major stylistic influences. “O Ultimo Cigarro” (“The Last Cigarette”) has just been put up on YouTube, but the original version on O Crepusculo is far better.