Apocalipsis en los trópicos

First of my twenty films at the 48th São Paulo Film Festival, Apocalypse in the Tropics delivers more than its predecessor, The Edge of Democracy, in addition to consecrating (to keep with the theme) Petra Costa's pair of historical documentaries as masterpieces of Brazilian audiovisual.

In The Edge of Democracy, Petra's life is parallel to democracy in Brazil, and this makes her a co-protagonist of this national story, that goes from Juscelino to Bolsonaro. Here, in Apocalypse, the documentarist initially admits that she is not an expert on Paul or John of Patmos, and she wisely lets the story be told through the eyes of other figures. Some popular figures here and there get lost in a narrative that would gain more strength from their point of view, as the real highlight is the fearsome pastor Silas Malafaia. Using political terms to comment on your church, and religious terms to comment on democracy, Malafaia walks and rules at Alvorada, to the point of repeating Bolsonaro's speech, so that the president would not forget what he had to say, what Malafaia ordered him to say.

Four years of inadmistration are summarized, so that the projection does not become "look, gringo, how we suffered", but rather "look, Brasil, what you went through to get here", and by "here" I mean the real apocalypse.

I loved starting the Festival with this film, I would have liked to have enjoyed it more without the pressure of not catching the train to get home (obrigado, meu amor, por ter me ajudado, sem você isso não teria sido possível). Petra Costa, do more! Brazil will never tire of producing material for your filming (only criticism: Cabo Daciolo was missing, who made a cameo at the beginning of the film, back in 2016, and didn't even say "glória a deux!").

The new Netflix documentary "Apocalypse in the Tropics" is a chilling, close-up look at Christian Nationalism on the rise, this time in Brazil, which is reckoning with its own version of January 6. With an eerie score, pointed narration, and unnervingly intimate footage, the doc takes you into the backrooms where power, faith, and fascism collide. What's most striking is that unlike the U. S., Brazil seems willing to hold its would-be coup plotters to account. As an American who lived through a real military coup in Thailand, I found this film deeply unsettling and terribly relevant. Watching from abroad, it's impossible not to see the parallels: attacks on democratic institutions, judicial overreach, corporate complicity, and a twisted gospel that weaponizes religion to control women, demonize LGBTQ+ people, and ignore the poor, the sick, and the stranger. This isn't just a Brazilian problem; it's a global one and it may already be too late. This doc is highly recommended and honestly, it's Code Red for democracy everywhere.

"Apocalypse in the Tropics" is a powerful and timely documentary that bravely explores the alarming rise of religious fundamentalism within the political sphere - a phenomenon with deep and troubling implications for democracies around the world, especially in countries like Brazil. With her signature sensitivity and courage, Petra Costa delivers a work that is both urgent and poetic, peeling back layers of ideology to reveal how faith, when co-opted by power, can erode institutions and threaten civil liberties. This film is not just a warning - it's a vital act of resistance. Petra once again proves why she is one of the most essential voices in contemporary documentary cinema.

Another very good and timeless documentary by Petra. A bit slower than The Edge of Democracy, but worth watching to understand the parallel between religion and politics in Brazil. This is a parallel that can be drawn in other countries, but it's more evident today in Brazil with evangelical churches. For those who say it's biased, it also shows the Brazilian left's dilemma with religion, which is very complex and often contradictory. It could be faster, more dynamic. Less Malafaia and more about the role of these churches on both sides, despite being more evident in the Brazilian far right. I liked it, and watched this to my Polish wife, it was very interesting but could be deeper than what was showcased.

As "Apocalypse In the Tropics" (2024 release; 119 min) opens, the movie's director, Petra Costa, herself Brazilian, recounts in a voiceover how surprised she was upon returning there in 2016 to fins that Brazil's political landscape was rapidly transforming as a result of the record growth of evangelicals (from 5% to 30% in the last 40 years). Costa decides to look into this phenom and was granted wide access. At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: Oscar-nominated documentarian Petra Costa ("The Edge of Democracy") brings another highly-charged political documentary. This time reflecting on how evangelicals have overtaken the hard right, resulting in the astonishing election of Bolsonaro in 2018, and all the things that came after that. If is a fascinating watch. I was vaguely familiar with much of this, but to see it laid out as precise and clear as Costa does here, it all pits it into a new perspective. Also this: Bolsonaro copies pretty much every move by Trump, with a two year delay. Absolutely amazing. Please note that Brad Pitt is one of the movie's Executive Producers.

"Apocalypse in the Tropics" premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, 2024, to immediate and universal critical acclaim. It is now streaming on Netflix, where I caught it just the other night. The documentary is currently rated 92% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. If you are interested in geopolitics, or in the ever-growing influence of evangelicals, in this case in Brazil, over the political scene, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.