O Primeiro Dia (The First Day) is the long version, edited for cinema, of the short film Meia Noite (Midnight), produced by Daniela Thomas and Walter Salles for the series "2000 seem by", created by the French cultural broadcast television Art and the producer Haut et Court , in order to collect different views, from 10 distinct countries, concerning the end of the millennium.
With a powerful and dramatic story, full of great performances, extraordinary cinematographic takes and metaphors, O Primeiro Dia represents the obscure but hopeful view of two young, but experienced, Brazilian film makers: Daniela Thomas and Walter Salles. In their new motion picture the destiny brings two different people, from two distinct "worlds", together, as the fireworks fall over Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach and the new millennium approachs bringing hope to everyone. The first day of the new millennium is presented as a hope for a new life, for a new world, in which there won't be no more violence, poverty or even sadness. But this hope can die as soon as it is born, revealing a first day as obscure and sad as the last day , proving that all the years are and will ever be the same, unless we change. Here, in Brazil, we have a saying "don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today". This is the great message of the film. As one of the characters says in the movie "If there is one day to decide something in life, this day is today".
