Award-winning filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho has channeled Brazil’s recent political turmoil into his latest cinematic work, a period thriller that resonates powerfully with contemporary events. The director’s perspective has shifted dramatically since beginning the project during the previous administration, moving from national embarrassment to renewed pride following recent judicial developments.
The film, set during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s, follows an academic forced into hiding after challenging regime authorities. While conceived as a historical thriller rather than a conventional dictatorship narrative, audiences have recognized striking parallels to recent political developments.
The director firmly rejects calls for political forgiveness, arguing that society came perilously close to collapse and must confront difficult truths. He expresses particular concern about what he describes as Brazil’s tendency toward “self-inflicted amnesia” regarding traumatic historical periods, contrasting the country’s approach with neighboring nations that have more thoroughly addressed their authoritarian pasts.
The filmmaker specifically criticized the previous government’s cultural policies, which included dismantling the culture ministry—a move since reversed by the current administration. He characterized these actions as profoundly aggressive and demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of the nation’s identity.
The timing of the film’s release coincides with significant political developments, as the former leader faces imminent imprisonment following conviction for anti-democratic actions. Meanwhile, the current president appears positioned for potential re-election amid disarray within opposition circles.
The director remains hopeful that his work will contribute to breaking patterns of historical avoidance. The film’s concluding scene deliberately challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths rather than retreat into familiar patterns of forgetting. The production has already garnered international recognition and is scheduled for screenings in multiple countries in the coming months.
