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The Edge of Democracy

  • 2019
  • TV-14
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
16K
YOUR RATING
The Edge of Democracy (2019)
A cautionary tale for these times of democracy in crisis - the personal and political fuse to explore one of the most dramatic periods in Brazilian history. Combining unprecedented access to leaders past and present, including Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva, with accounts of her own family's complex past, filmmaker Petra Costa (ELENA) witnesses their rise and fall and the tragically polarized nation that remains.
Play trailer2:13
1 Video
18 Photos
History DocumentaryPolitical DocumentaryDocumentaryHistory

An exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.An exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.An exploration into the complex truth behind the unraveling of two Brazilian presidencies.

  • Director
    • Petra Costa
  • Writers
    • Petra Costa
    • Carol Pires
    • David Barker
  • Stars
    • Dilma Rousseff
    • Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
    • Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    16K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Petra Costa
    • Writers
      • Petra Costa
      • Carol Pires
      • David Barker
    • Stars
      • Dilma Rousseff
      • Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
      • Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva
    • 177User reviews
    • 44Critic reviews
    • 81Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 6 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:13
    Official Trailer

    Photos17

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    Top cast62

    Edit
    Dilma Rousseff
    Dilma Rousseff
    • Self - Ex-Presidente
    Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
    Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
    • Self - Ex-Presidente
    • (as Lula da Silva)
    Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva
    • Self - Primeira Dama
    • (as Marisa Letícia)
    Sergio Moro
    Sergio Moro
    • Self - Juiz Federal
    • (as Sérgio Moro)
    Nestor Cerveró
    • Self - Ex-Executivo da Petrobras
    • (archive footage)
    Paulo Roberto Costa
    • Self - Ex-Diretor da Petrobras
    • (archive footage)
    Marcelo Odebrecht
    • Self - Ex-Presidente do Grupo Odebrecht
    • (archive footage)
    Lindbergh Farias
    • Self - Senador (PT)
    • (archive footage)
    Jovair Arantes
    • Self - Relator da Comissão do Impeachment (PTB)
    José Eduardo Cardozo
    • Self - Advogado de Dilma…
    Eduardo Cunha
    Eduardo Cunha
    • Self - Presidente da Câmara dos Deputados (PMDB)
    Carlos Henrique Gaguim
    • Self - Deputado (PTN)
    Paulo Maluf
    • Self - Deputado (PP)
    Roberto Requião
    • Self - Senador (PMDB)
    Jean Wyllys
    • Self - Deputado (PSOL)
    Rodrigo Rollemberg
    • Self - Governador de Brasília (PSB)
    Jair Bolsonaro
    Jair Bolsonaro
    • Self - Deputado (PSC)
    Aécio Neves
    • Self - Senador (PSDB)
    • Director
      • Petra Costa
    • Writers
      • Petra Costa
      • Carol Pires
      • David Barker
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews177

    7.316.2K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Edge of Democracy' delves into Brazil's political chaos, highlighting Dilma Rousseff's impeachment and Lula's imprisonment. It is lauded for its emotional depth and historical insights but criticized for bias and selective facts. The film's length and pacing are issues, yet its cinematography and director's passion are praised. It serves as a cautionary tale on democracy's fragility but is divisive due to its one-sided approach.
    AI-generated from the text of user reviews

    Featured reviews

    7grifepisode

    Deeply worrying.

    Watching this makes me really worried. The power play in Brazil is a sample of what's going on all over the world with the ignorant bullies who have taken over with their nationalist facade cause. Must watch!
    8fhenrike

    Great

    Haters gonna hate. Some people that are rating with the lowest score (I bet most of them didn't even watched the film) just make the point for the foreign audience of how polarized Brazil it is right now. Petra did a great job by condensed the political situation of the country from the last decade with her personal and also analytical view.
    9adacunhapora

    Another great work by Petra Costa

    Petra Costa is perhaps the best documentary director in Brazil. Her debut is the masterpiece Elena, a very personal look to her sister. The Edge of the Democracy, her third feature, is another kind a monster. A political one, to be exat, in which she narrates the oddly "democratic" impeachment of president Dilma Roussef.

    Costa's talent is to make simple footage (either from stock and original shots) into sheer cinematic strenght. A rare gift, I might add.
    7matthewssilverhammer

    "Democracy is only working when the rich feel threatened."

    This passionately angry doc (with incredible access) proves that partisan politics is a human thing, NOT just a USA thing...and I can't decide if that's a relieving or disheartening.
    8WanderleyG

    Very emotional and personal perspective

    The documentary offers a very intimate view on the events surrounding the last decade of Brazil's democracy.

    It shows some background on the historical political forces that dominate the country but fails to present a broad perspective of the context. It's clear though that this was never the objective when the narrator presents itself with her views. The documentary does very good at reminding us and offering a more static showcase of the ongoing forces that threatened democracy in an attempt to circumvent investigations and save themselves.

    I had more expectations related to the informative content as I'm a native myself and the actual playtime of the documentary being a bit long but i won't say I'm frustrated.

    I concluded it's a good resumé for foreign audiences to understand the current events in Brazil and a very intimate display of the effects of a political crysis in a borderline democracy.

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    Related interests

    Martin Luther King in I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
    History Documentary
    The Fight (2020)
    Political Documentary
    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary
    Liam Neeson in Schindler's List (1993)
    History

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Brazil's biggest newspaper, 'Folha de S. Paulo', requested an interview with Lula in prison during the 2018 presidential election campaign. However, Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux ruled against the interview taking place, as the team reportedly feared it would ruin Bolsonaro's chances at the election; a decision which was only overturned in April 2019.
    • Quotes

      Petra Costa: A Greek writer said that democracy is only working when the rich feel threatened. Otherwise, oligarchy takes over. From father to son, son to grandson, from grandson to great grandson, and so successively.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Oscars (2020)
    • Soundtracks
      Canto de Ossanha
      Written by Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes

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    FAQ16

    • How long is The Edge of Democracy?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 19, 2019 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Brazil
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Netflix
    • Languages
      • Portuguese
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Impeachment
    • Filming locations
      • Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
    • Production companies
      • Busca Vida Filmes
      • Violet Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 1m(121 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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