in 1959 the award-winning french/italian/brazilian film orphée noir (black orfeus) was filmed in chapéu mangueira and the nearby babilônia,  retelling of the ancient greek myth of orpheus and eurydice, but set in rio during the time of carnival.  the film was scored by antônio carlos jobim, internationally famous for the song garota de ipanema (girl from ipanema).

president obama mentioned the film in his biography dreams from my father - a story of race and inheritance, as his mother's favorite film.

the higher part of the hill, where filming occurred is now home to the least developed part of the community, with constructions often at risk of collapsing during heavy rain.