The second installment of our Brazil series presented by Eve Jackson examines the country's powerful cinematic legacy and its role in confronting the nation's complex political history. Shot in Rio de Janeiro, "Film for democracy" arrives at a pivotal moment following the country's first-ever Oscar win for Best International Feature. This episode features acclaimed director Walter Salles discussing his Oscar-winning film "I'm Still Here", which confronts the painful legacy of Brazil's 1962-1985 military dictatorship. Through the true story of Eunice Paiva, whose husband was forcibly disappeared, the film reignites crucial conversations about historical memory and justice.
Viewers also meet documentary filmmaker Sandra Kogut at the iconic Park Lage — setting of the 1967 politically charged Brazilian classic "Entranced Earth" — as she explores how Brazil's filmmakers continue using cinema as a tool for social change.
Kogut's latest documentary, "At This Moment in the Nation's Sky" — its title drawn poignantly from Brazil's national anthem — captures the political turmoil leading up to Brazil's 2022 presidential elections. Shot during this critical period, the film documents the unrest that culminated in the January 8, 2023 storming of government buildings by supporters of outgoing right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, who sought to overturn election results and prevent left-wing leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from returning to power.
Through Kogut's unflinching lens, viewers witness this violent attack on Brazil's democracy and the filmmaker's own reaction to these shocking events. Through examining works like Kogut's urgent documentaries, the episode explores how Brazil's filmmakers have consistently used cinema as a tool for social change.
Watch moreBrazil, the art of change in a post-Bolsonaro era: The sound of a nation (1/3)
English (US) · 