Los Angeles, February 1974. 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 a 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 These rare and unpublished images drive this musical documentary.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.
