Elis & Tom: Só Tinha de Ser com Você (2022)

Together with Amsterdam-based music platform Steppin' Into Tomorrow, we are presenting two Brazilian music documentaries this summer! On 20 August we will screen 'O Barato de Iacanga' about a unique pop festival in the late 70s, and this evening 'Elis & Tom: Só Tinha de Ser com Você'.

With this film we go back to 1974, where in Los Angeles Tom Jobim, the incarnation of Bossa Nova, and Elis Regina, then Brazil's most popular singer, met to record what would become one of the most iconic albums in the history of Brazilian music. Through rare and never before seen images, 'Elis & Tom - It had to be you' is the musical documentary that tells the story of how the encounter and recording of these two giant Artists happened. Elis brought her band, who joined Tom Jobim and the best musicians in LA, arranged by Bill Hitchcock at MGM studios. 'Elis and Tom' reveals the conflicts and joys of a unique moment, in a journey through time, revealing the intimacy of the creative process and the extraordinary personalities of these amazing artists.

The recording was captured by the team of filmmakers led by director Roberto de Oliveira, who arranged for the duo to meet. The original footage was kept for 45 years until they were restored and remastered in 2018. These rare and unpublished images drive this musical documentary. Dramas and tensions surrounded the recording of the album, to the point that the project was almost interrupted. In the end, the power of the music took over and led Elis Regina, Tom Jobim and a group of talented young musicians to record a masterpiece.

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.