If you are the type of Oscars obsessive who sets an early alarm on nominations morning (guilty!), you may have noticed something curious last month: before the announcement began on the Academy's Instagram Live, the comments were already filling up with Brazilian-flag emojis. And for good reason. "The Secret Agent," the acclaimed film by the director Kleber Mendonça Filho, walked away with four nominations—not just Best International Feature, for which it was Brazil's official submission, but also Best Picture, Best Actor (Wagner Moura), and a brand-new category, Best Casting.
A parade float praising Brazil's president Lula strode through Rio's Sambadrome, drawing contreversy and triggering lawsuits. A carnival float in Rio de Janeiro's world-famous carnival parade was the center of a controversy over Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his upcoming bid for reelection. Critics of the president accused him of improperly using the nation's high-profile Carnaval celebrations for political campaigning.
Whether it's called Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day or Mardi Gras, many countries choose to celebrate the last day before Lent by indulging in something sweet or fatty. In the UK and parts of the US, this usually means a big plate of pancakes in the morning. In Denmark there are special buns known as Fastelavnsbolle, Whether you celebrate it for religious reasons, or just because of a love of pancakes, it can be a real treat during these winter days.
BAY RIDGE - FASTELAVN, THE DANISH VERSION OF MARDI GRAS, comes to Bay Ridge on Saturday, Feb. 7. The Scandinavian East Coast Museum sponsors this annual event, held in advance of the penitential season of Lent, which is observed in many Lutheran countries, including in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Lent begins early this year, on Feb. 18, which will be Ash Wednesday. Bay Ridge carries a rich Scandinavian history dating back to the immigration waves of the mid-19th century and again post-World War II.
