In "Jornalismo e Independência" ("Journalism and Independence") veteran director Nelson Pereira dos Santos guides social studies students to compose a view about the role of
press in society. Though at the time of the film's release they were living under a military regime that limited what the press could and could not show - which could even
include censoring this movie if the topic presented was the then current state of press and media, the director and the students focus of making an extensive library research
where they look for books and publishings related with the colony period - in 1972, there was a huge celebration on the 150th anniversary of Brazil's independence. So here,
they present excerpts from the monarchy period, showing that the media back in the 19th century wasn't much focused in telling the news and presenting the facts of the day, it's
concern was more of survivalism by showing advertising, thoughts and other things - and the circulation was fine and even the enthusiastic emperor Dom Pedro I kept writing to
the paper.
While the theme dealt is interesting and there are things one can imagine about the importance of the dialogue between freedom of speech and how the press has an
important part on that, the movie fails to be interesting. The audio is terrible, the shots are presented without any care and don't generate interest. And since we're just
seeing the young students research rather than having some talking heads discussing the theme the movie ends up failing in all levels. It simply drops the ball time and again. The main goal achieved - and that we won't know for sure - is that at least we can imagine that those students went ahead in life, following their careers with success (I hope) and they definitely learned something valuable.
4/10.
