Doces Poderes

If there is something the media in Brazil insistently refuses to talk about, it's the ethics and neutrality policies of the media itself. Lucia Murat, surely the most competent among post-Military Dictatorship filmmakers in Brazil, raises this debate in "Doces Poderes", in a bold, unique way, with a lot of humor and satirical gags. However, it is not a comedy; it'd rather be called "a soft denounce". A drama, indeed.

Based upon her own colleague's experiences, Lucia (who is also a journalist) tells the story of Bia (Mariza Orth, magnificent), a woman next to her 40's who is nominated to head the news staff of in Brazil's capital, just a few weeks before the local elections. The movie is punctuated by "testimonies" of characters who, unlike Bia, left editorial staffs to work in political campaigns ---- both from right and left-wing, in the most honestly mercenary scheme.

Once in Brasilia, Bia meets again her former lover, Chico Silva (Fagundes, surprisingly good), also a journalist who turned out to be a politician and supports a left-wing candidate. Trying to take chance of her command in the TV news, he pressures her to make a fine coverage for the leftists. Of course, her superiors in the broadcast company want just the opposite. As Bia is placed in the middle of the firing-line, discussions about Ethics, Moral, Ideology and her own relation to other colleagues, are raised up.

After the re-birth of Brazilian Cinema, there has never been such a movie like "Doces Poderes", both in background meanings and delightful entertainment. It pokes, it nudges, it annoys the social system and institutions. And it has an all-star cast! Yet, the mass media and communications vehicles simply ignore it most of the time... and the motives for that reaction are perfectly understandable.