TALK: Tragedies at Sea by Josiah Blackmore

Tragedies at Sea: Portuguese Shipwrecks in History and Literature

with Professor Josiah Blackmore, 
Nancy Clark Smith Professor of the Language and Literature of Portugal, Harvard University 

Date: Thursday, October 20, 2016

Time: 2PM 

Local: Northrop Frye Hall room 235

TALK: Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Amazonia

Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Amazonia: The Case of the Oyapock River Board in the Brazil/French Guiana Border
By Ambassador Ana Lelia Beninca Beltrame
Ambassador Beltrame has a BA in Legal and Social Sciences from Federal University of Santa Maria and MBA in Economic Law from Getúlio Vargas Foundation in Brasilia. She served in embassies in Nairobi, Paris and Athens; was Deputy Consul General in Montevideo; Consul in Rivera (Uruguay); and Consul General in Cayenne (French Guiana).

Date: Thursday, September 29, 2016
Time: 10am-11am 
Local: 626 Kaneff Tower, York University

Everyone is welcome! Light refreshments will be served.

Ricardo Reis’ Trajectory at the Hands of José Saramago

by Cristina Gonçalves

O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis (The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis) is a novel written by Portuguese novelist José Saramago in 1984. As suggested by the title of the book, this story details the life of Ricardo Reis upon his return to Portugal. Reis leaves Brazil in 1935 and returns to Lisbon once the news has reached him of Fernando Pessoa’s death. Once in Lisbon, Reis takes up residence at Hotel Bragança where he becomes familiarized with the manager and other employees as well as Marcenda, a guest and Lídia, a maid. These two women subsequently become the object of a love interest for Reis. What is most disconcerting about Reis is that he does not take up the practice of medicine in Portugal but rather spends several months roaming the streets of Lisbon, reading the newspaper, which informs him of the various political crises occurring. Two of these events are the beginnings of the Spanish Civil War and the mutiny by the sea navies.

The character Ricardo Reis in Saramago’s novel is one of Pessoa’s most well-known heteronyms. A heteronym must be distinguished from a pseudonym. The latter is merely a fictitious name that is used by an author who, for one reason or another, does not want to sign his name. The former encompasses an entity that has a personality, a life and is distinct from the author. Pessoa is known for his many heteronyms and his search for an identity. However, Pessoa passed away and never concluded the story of Ricardo Reis, leaving him in Brazil. Saramago saw himself as responsible for taking Ricardo Reis’ future into his hands and does so by altering his trajectory throughout the novel which ultimately concludes with his death. This paper will examine the various methods used by Saramago to create a dialogue with Pessoa himself and with Ricardo Reis. It will begin by analyzing the intertextuality, more specifically the use of allusion, by Saramago in his construction of Ricardo Reis. This will then be followed by a discussion of the metaliterature employed by Saramago to bring the orthonym and the heteronym into conversation with one another. Finally, this paper will conclude with an examination of the ways in which Saramago reflects himself onto the heteronym.

Intertextuality

The term intertextuality originated in the 20^th century and had been defined by many theorists. One of the most common definitions is that of Julia Kristeva which states that all written text is like a mosaic of citations, that is built up from previous works which are absorbed and transformed into another new text (“Fernando Pessoa e os Heterônimos”). Intertextuality is a broad topic, which is divided into various types of intertextuality. The one that is most pertinent to Saramago’s novel is an allusion. Allusion refers to mentioning any literary work, whether it is through characters, authors or events (“O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis”). Throughout the novel, Saramago uses various characters that have been written about by Pessoa himself or by Ricardo Reis, and he also references works that have been created by the heteronyms.

The most obvious form of allusion begins when Saramago uses Ricardo Reis as the protagonist in his novel. Interestingly, Saramago alludes to this use of intertextuality when he says that “it never occurs to people that the one who finishes something is never the one who started it, even if both have the same name, for the name is the only thing that remains constant” (37). Through this quote, it is almost as if Saramago himself is telling the reader that Pessoa left some unfinished business that he plans to take care of. Saramago does not necessarily appropriate himself of Ricardo Reis since he is known in the literary world as a heteronym of Pessoa. Thus, this is not plagiarism in any way but rather an ode to Pessoa and his life’s work that was never completed because of his death. Therefore, it is evident that Saramago retrieves Ricardo Reis from Brazil after an absence of 16 years and brings him to Portugal where he belongs and where he would have been had it not been for his political exile years prior.

The second form of intertextuality is the presence of Lídia as Ricardo Reis’ lover. Saramago, in the novel, points out that Lídia, has the same name as the Lídia that Ricardo Reis had written about in one of his poems. Ricardo Reis recognizes the name and smiles upon hearing that the chambermaid had the same name as the character of his poem entitled Vem Sentar-te Comigo, Lídia, à Beira do Rio. Though there was no other resemblance between the two, the name is enough to spark his attention and to ignite the relationship between the two.

In addition to referencing works of Ricardo Reis, Saramago also brings the poetry of Àlvaro de Campos into his novel on two occasions. The first reference occurs when Ricardo Reis says “It is I, without any irony, without any sorrow, content to feel not even resentment, as a man who desires nothing more or knows that he can possess nothing more” (35). This is a verse directly taken from Àlvaro De Campos’ poem Tabacaria and serves the purpose of describing his current situation in Lisbon whereby he is in limbo. He does not know what he is doing in the city, does not know other people and does not even have a home that he can call his own. In essence, Ricardo Reis does not possess anything: no property, no relationships, and no future. Though this does not seem to bother him in the least, he does not even make a full hearted attempt to change his circumstances but rather accepts them for what they are. It appears that Ricardo Reis does not want to commit to any permanence in his life; he prefers temporary things such as the position as a substitute doctor (Bueno). The second occasion whereby Saramago evokes Àlvaro de Campos is through the use of his lines from Todas as cartas de amor são, “All love letters are ridiculous, even more ridiculous, it suddenly becomes clear, never to have received one” (229). This line is used by Ricardo Reis to express his frustration in regards to not receiving any love letters from Marcenda despite having sent her a few. Àlvaro de Campos is Pessoa’s heteronym that gives in to his emotional impulses when he writes which may be why Saramago uses his verses as a method to convey Ricardo Reis’ emotions towards both his current conditions and his love for Marcenda.

Also, the use of intertextuality comes in the form of Saramago criticizing Pessoa himself. Pessoa wrote Mensagem which is a collection of poems about famous Portuguese historical figures and was also the only book that was published while he was alive (“Fernando Pessoa e os Heterônimos”). In the novel, Saramago uses the character of Pessoa himself and says “Fernando Pessoa got up, half-opened the shutters, and looked out. An unpardonable oversight, he said, not to have included Adamastor in my Mensagem” (194). The Adamastor was used in Luís de Camões’ poem Os Lusíadas as a symbol of the barriers faced by Portuguese navigators during their times of sea exploration (Figueiredo). This line in Saramago’s novel is a criticism towards Pessoa for not having included such an important part of history in his work, especially since the Portuguese were well known for their naval explorations. Even more straight to the point is the fact that Saramago puts these words of regret for having forgotten such a contribution to Portuguese culture in the mouth of Pessoa.

Metaliterature – A Conversation between the Orthonym and the Heteronym

         Pessoa, as a writer, was interested in the topic of identity, which is a complex topic (Jones). This was his quest throughout his life, which led to the creation of both his orthonym and his heteronyms. These terms must be distinguished and defined to obtain a full understanding of how Saramago uses the two to create dialogue through his use of metaliterature. An orthonym is the internal self of the author being exposed and used to explore the notion of identity (Jones). A heteronym has a biographical and a physical description with a career and temperament (Jones). It is through the dialogue of the orthonym and the heteronym that Saramago succeeds in creating a metaliterature approach. Metaliterature can be defined as a type of literature that seeks to shed light and explain itself more thoroughly (O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis). This simply stated means that Saramago uses metaliterature as an attempt to explain what Pessoa meant by ‘identity’. Additionally, there are two conversations in particular whereby Saramago uses Pessoa and Ricardo Reis to question, and perhaps even distinguish a heteronym from its creator in the mind of the reader.

Metaliterature, as used by Saramago, shows the reader that Pessoa, throughout his whole life and after having tried to define identity, was unsuccessful. He says, “innumerable people live within us. If I think and I feel, I know not who is thinking and feeling, I am only the place where there is thinking and feeling” (13). This quote could not conceivably be harder to comprehend and make sense of. This is precisely the feeling that Saramago is attempting to portray since Pessoa was never able to unveil that mystery. Ricardo Reis in this passage cannot identify who he is, all that he truly knows about himself is that he is a person of living flesh but does not know where these thoughts and feelings come from. He does not know if they are his own or if they are someone else’s, or perhaps even a mix of the two.

Furthermore, there are two conversations between Pessoa and Ricardo Reis, which both confuse and enlighten the reader simultaneously about the distinguishing factor between an orthonym and a heteronym. This first conversation is as follows: “But I see you, Because I want you to see me, besides, if you think about it, who are you” (Saramago 66). Pessoa is questioning Ricardo Reis, and it seems as if he is implying that Ricardo Reis is Pessoa. Pessoa is trying to evoke a response out of Ricardo Reis to oppose what is being implied and to defend himself as an entirely separate being form Pessoa. Additionally, Pessoa is trying to get Ricardo Reis to give him the answer to his search for identity which he did not complete during his life, but that could be completed now. The second conversation follows a similar approach whereby Pessoa and Ricardo Reis have the following conversation: “As you can see, we know everything about each other, or at least I about you, Is there anything that belongs only to me, Probably not” (313). This leads the reader to believe that despite the difference between the orthonym and the heteronym, there is still a strong link that binds the two and that they are not wholly indistinguishable from one another.

Ricardo Reis as a Reflection of Saramago

Saramago was the object of various interviews with Carlos Reis who made a compilation of the interviews into a book titled Dialogos com Jose Saramago. Chapter six of this book, Sobre a Narrativa e o Romance, sheds light on some of the many traits that characterize Saramago as a writer which he then passes onto his characters. He does this in several ways by attributing some of his qualities onto Ricardo Reis and transforming his personality. The first notable response that Saramago gives is that he feels the necessity, as a person, to try to explain everything (Saramago and Reis). This reaction can be interpreted as Saramago’s need to explain what happens in Ricardo Reis’ life since it is left unclear by Pessoa. He feels that it his literary duty to relieve Ricardo Reis from his life in limbo and give him a purpose, or at least give him an end. Saramago ends the novel with Ricardo Reis’ death, which has the most conclusive end that any heteronym could have been subjected to. Once Ricardo Reis is dead, there remains nothing else to be explained, and so Saramago can put his need for explanation to rest once and for all, knowing that there cannot be anything added to the story.

Another interesting response given by Saramago during the interview is that he uses his memory in the creation of characters (Saramago and Reis). This does not necessarily mean that his characters are based on real people, but rather that there are specific characteristics in that he inserts into his characters that are real. Saramago, states that he has always been fascinated by physical defects and that one day during a dinner at a restaurant he saw a girl whose left arm was paralyzed (Saramago and Reis). If this sounds familiar, that is because Saramago applied this paralysis to Marcenda, one of Ricardo Reis’ love interests. Even more compelling is the fact that Ricardo Reis, throughout the entire novel, always mentions the limp arm whenever he encounters Marcenda. This disability becomes almost like a defining feature of Marcenda as a person and in the novel is the very reason why Ricardo Reis meets her. Every month Marcenda and her father Doctor Sampaio return to Lisbon in hopes that she will be cured of her paralyzed arm. In this example, it is evident that Saramago’s obsession with disability and with physical defects is passed onto Ricardo Reis and becomes one of his obsessions.

Additionally, Saramago admits in his interview that writing is not something that he takes pleasure in and that it is in fact something that he has to force himself to do (Saramago and Reis). This is one of his characteristics that he makes as part of Ricardo Reis. Ricardo Reis is said to compose “poetry line by line with much effort, agonizing over rhyme and meter” (Saramago 55). Though he is not practicing medicine and views himself as a poet, composing becomes a struggle for him and is something that he does not do as self-fulfilling or pleasurable but more as a job. He aspires to be like Alberto Caeiro and Pessoa in that he wants to be remembered as a poet as opposed to a doctor. Therefore, he does not only write what he wants the way he wants but rather is meticulous in the way that he writes. He is a perfectionist who needs the rhymes and meters of his verses to follow the rules prescribed. In this aspect, it must be noted that he is the complete opposite from Saramago. Saramago is an author who fails to meet the literary conventions of his writing style. He opposes the rules in this novel by using only two types of punctuation: the comma and the period. This is different from all other authors because to signify speech, and he simply uses a comma and a capital letter to indicate when a speaker begins instead of using quotation marks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has examined the various methods used by Saramago in his novel to dialogue with Pessoa and with Ricardo Reis. The analysis began with a look at intertextuality, and allusion more specifically, and the importance it had in the construction of Ricardo Reis as the protagonist of the novel. Subsequently, there was a detailed explanation of the different examples of metaliterature utilized by Saramago, which brought Pessoa, the orthonym, and Ricardo Reis, the heteronym, into conversation with one another to portray the Pessoan themes of identity and heteronyms. Finally, the paper examined the different ways in which Saramago applied his own characteristic traits as a write in the character of Ricardo Reis. Saramago’s novel was both enlightening and innovative in the way that it used an already well known heteronym in Portuguese literature and created a new destiny for him which ended in him joining Pessoa in the Rua dos Prazeres in the cemetery.

Tropa de Elite 2: O narrador da verdade

Kierra Leyco

Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro (José Padilha, 2010) conta a história do Capitão Roberto Nascimento que após uma decisão precipitada do seu colega, Matias, é desligado do BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais) mas é nomeado para o cargo de Subsecretario de Inteligência da Secretaria Estadual de Segurança Pública do Rio de Janeiro. Vendo a situação como uma oportunidade de melhor combater o crime, ele descobre que o problema é mais complicado do que ele imaginava. Nascimento é então confrontado por uma situação política envolvendo grupos paramilitares (milícias) e oficiais governamentais. O filme conta a história a partir do ponto de vista de Nascimento, pois é relatada pelo narrador-personagem.

Tenho aqui o objetivo de examinar a importância e a verdade atribuída ao narrador-personagem, Capitão Nascimento. Esse ensaio analisará a verdade atribuída ao narrador como ‘voz da verdade’, um elemento documentário que dá poder ao narrador de impor sua própria opinião. O narrador é, portanto, vital para o desenvolvimento do filme, levando o espectador a melhor entender a situação de corrupção. Desse modo, o ensaio questionará e evidenciará igualmente capacidade do narrador de mostrar a corrupção atual enraizada no sistema. Mesmo não estando presente em certas cenas, ele tem a representação de um narrador onisciente, revelando a verdade, já que o filme conta a história do seu ponto de vista.

O Título

É importante primeiramente levar em conta o título do filme. O primeiro filme Tropa de Elite (2007) leva em conta o traficante da favela como o principal inimigo. Diferentemente, o segundo filme de José Padilha se foca na visão da instituição pela perspectiva de Nascimento. “O Inimigo Agora É Outro” demonstra que o inimigo vai muito além do que apenas os traficantes, mas também exibe todo o sistema corrupto que envolve o Brasil, que inclui desde traficantes até policiais e políticos. Como no primeiro filme, o narrador tem a função de revelar-nos sua história. Isso é enfatizado no início com o uso de flash-forward, quando o inimigo aparece atirando contra o narrador-personagem de Nascimento. Os inimigos revelam ser policias corruptos que estão fazendo uma represália por ele ter interferido nos negócios de corrupção. O filme é então baseado na vida do narrador-personagem e comprova ser a verdade dele.

A Função do Narrador Como a ‘Voz da Verdade’

A presença de um narrador mostra uma falta de confiança nas imagens visuais. Desse modo, as imagens podem ser eficazes, mas a dependência do narrador completa a obra na forma de palestra ilustrada. (Wiener, 2007, p. 73) O narrador não questiona, ele afirma. Por isso, o público também não sente necessidade de questionar as palavras do narrador porque ele é a representação da ‘voz da verdade’. Similar, a Ônibus 174 (2002), os narradores do documentário são a voz da verdade ao explicar os fatos da tragédia. No filme Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, Nascimento impõe uma verdade com suas palavras. Essa ‘verdade’ é enfatizada de forma que as imagens seguem a narração. No filme, temos a exibição do policial militar, Rocha, que sobe o morro de Rio das Rochas para coletar o “dinheiro do arrego” dos traficantes. Não tendo o dinheiro necessário, Rocha mata-os. A tela fica preta e nesse instante a voz de Nascimento interrompe com os fatos da verdade dizendo “o que aconteceu de verdade foi bem diferente”. Nascimento continua narrando e explica que, “nada como uma crise econômica para aguçar a criatividade. Foi só eu cortar o arrego do tráfico para os corruptos perceberem o óbvio. Qualquer comunidade do Rio de Janeiro é muito mais que qualquer ponto de venda de drogas.” Pelo seu discurso, vemos uma cena similar àquela de antes mas que tenta revelar-nos outra história, a qual reforça o discurso do narrador. Como resultado, Nascimento divulga a realidade da situação, criando uma relação de confiança entre ele e os espectadores; o que reforça a ideia de um narrador de veracidade. Essa relação é reforçada pelo modo como o narrador se dirige ao espectador, tratando-o várias vezes de “amigo ou parceiro”. Similar ao documentário Edifício Master (2002), o narrador utiliza palavras familiares que amplificam a verdade atribuída ao seu papel como ‘voz de verdade’.

Um filme tem a capacidade de “vomitar informação” sobre a realidade, em esperança que a o público se dê conta da situação atual. (Vieira, 2003, p.86) Como o narrador de Padilha, o filme Cronicamente Inviável (2000) em vez de usar um narrador, utiliza duas cenas parecidas e através da comparação entre as duas, questiona a realidade da nossa sociedade. Portanto, Nascimento ‘vomita informação’ com a intenção de fazer o público refletir sobre a situação real. Por exemplo, Nascimento diz que “na verdade, era o BOPE que estava ajudando o sistema. [...] O sistema estava mudando, estava evoluindo. Antes, os políticos usavam o sistema para ganhar dinheiro. Agora, eles dependiam do sistema para se eleger.” Nascimento não somente nos apresenta uma verdade no filme, mas consequentemente, tenta nos comprovar como o sistema corrupto atual se enraíza em todos os setores para se consolidar. Como explica Enrique Arias (Arias, 2006, p. 297-298), na realidade, a relação entre traficante e politico é de clientelismo. Os políticos se asseguram com os votos dos moradores da comunidade, pois são beneficiados privadamente pelos traficantes, e os traficantes pelos políticos. O sistema é, portanto, um negócio.

Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro e o Elemento de Documentário

Devido a um aumento de crime, pobreza e violência urbana no Brasil, o tema de problemas sociais no cinema cresceu nos anos 90. (Borges, 2011, p.130) Como documentários, Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, explora alguns desses elementos mas de forma melodramática onde existe sensacionalismo e exagero emocional. O narrador também é um elemento fundamental num documentário porque ele conta uma história que o pertence. Tropa de Elite, como explica Ismail Xavier, (Xavier, 2012, p.8) expõe temas já explorados por documentários. O documentário Ônibus 174 (2002) de Padilha por exemplo, se baseia nas declarações de policiais e vítimas que estavam envolvidos nos acontecimentos. Estas vozes são diretas já que no documentário não existe um narrador principal, mas, semelhante a Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, utiliza o testemunho para formular a história. Como resultado, a imagem exibida fortalece as palavras do narrador já que seus comentários acompanham o filme com a narração voice-over. Por está razão a utilização das vozes é completamente diferente já que no filme de ficção ela é subjetiva e não direta.

A narração voice-over geralmente extrai o espectador da ação da tela, e destrói a ilusão por relembrar-nos que estamos assistindo um filme. Ademais, essa desconexão é acrescentada com o questionamento do espectador ao interrogar: porque Nascimento está narrando? E com quem ele está falando? A presença da narração de Nascimento é uma forma de contar um conto. Similarmente, o documentário de Ilha das Flores (1989), utiliza o elemento do narrador para guiar o espectador. A diferença é que Nascimento professa sua própria história utilizando várias vezes “eu” ao referir-se a cena, já que o documentário de Ilha das Flores nos oferece informação pela parte de um narrador-onisciente.

Semelhante ao documentário Ilha das Flores, o elemento do narrador sugere, entretanto, uma certa falta de inteligência pela parte dos espectadores, já que o narrador tem que constantemente explicar a cena. No filme, isso é claro quando a repórter, Clara, está investigando as milícias e seu amigo fotógrafo está tirando fotos, para uma matéria de capa, de indivíduos carregando caixas para dentro de uma casa. Na cena, o narrador explica que “as fotos eram mais que suficientes para matéria de capa. Mas jornalista, amigo, é curioso. A Clara não ia sossegar enquanto não descobrisse o que tinha naquele sobrado.” Enquanto isso, a jornalista parece muito ansiosa sendo retratada indo até a porta da casa. Apesar disso, o narrador é essencial em certas cenas porque ele nos oferece uma informação que não é claramente distinguida na imagem exibida. A Clara e seu amigo identificam apenas que os indivíduos carregando as caixas parecem ter roubado as armas da delegacia, que tinham o brasão da polícia raspado. O narrador, por outro lado, nos oferece muito mais informação. Nessa mesma cena, Nascimento narra “se dependesse do Rocha, a milícia ia entrar no bairro Tanque devagarzinho. Ninguém nem ia perceber. Só que eleição tem data marcada, neguinho pressionou e Rocha montou acampamento na casa de uma viúva.” O narrador é, portanto, fundamental especialmente porque a cena não nos apresenta essa informação que nos ajuda a melhor entendermos os acontecimentos.

Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, manifesta elementos de qualidade de documentário. Como comprova Ismail Xavier, documentários criam uma "etnografia discreta" que expõe um pedaço de evidência da nossa sociedade. (Borges, 2011, p. 131) O filme usa a narrativa de um policial para refletir suas experiências e sua verdade, o que adquire um lado documentário presente no filme inteiro. Diferentemente de O Homem do Ano (2003), onde o foco principal não é de retratar a violência ficcional, mas sim a verdade da vida do personagem Nascimento e como sua história reflete uma verdade sobre o sistema brasileiro. O filme justifica, porém, elementos de verdade de como a corrupção está enraizada na sociedade brasileira, o que é enfatizada no testemunho do narrador. Consequentemente, o filme estimula a reflexão, por ter objetivo de impactar e ser polêmico, ao revelar uma realidade da sociedade.

Impondo Uma Opinião

A voz do narrador tem um impacto muito grande junto ao público. A sua importância é fortalecida com a ênfase dada a sua voz no momento da narração. Isso concede que Nascimento tenha então um poder de ‘Deus’ ao impor não somente uma verdade, mas também uma autoridade. Quando Nascimento entra de helicóptero para matar, para “limpar” a favela, o narrador se refere aos traficantes como “vagabundos”. Dessa forma, a narração de Nascimento impõe ao mesmo tempo uma ideia negativa da favela, que é reforçada por uma imagem na tela, já que o foco é os criminosos que se encontram lá. Como explica Daniela Ikawa, a nossa identidade é formulada por nossa relação com outras identidades, e também em parte com quem nos associamos. (Ikawa, 2014, p. 495) Consequentemente, Nascimento expõe sua identidade como ex-Capitão do BOPE, se associando com o lado ‘bom’ da justiça, e declarando os bandidos da favela como “vagabundos”. O narrador retém então a capacidade de impor sua própria opinião sobre o espectador, já que ele não será questionado. Essa imagem do policial do BOPE ‘bom’ e o traficante ‘mau’, é fortalecida no início do filme quando Matias salva a vida de Fraga que estava sendo ameaçada pelos prisioneiros, ou melhor, como diz o narrador “os vagabundos.” Sendo estes negros e referenciados negativamente, os prisioneiros retratados no filme tem a capacidade de fortalecer estigmas raciais ao enfatizar essa identidade. Muitas vezes, como explica Jan French, “os pobres e os não-brancos são alvos dessas palavras depreciativas que impõem uma realidade de discriminação da sociedade.” (French, 2013, p. 161) Mesmo se um político é bandido por ser corrupto, Nascimento não o refere como “vagabundo” mas apenas como “corrupto.” O narrador impõe sua opinião, e interpretamos a cena pelo seu ponto de vista.

Sendo o narrador da história, ele se expõe como herói, mesmo sendo de certa maneira um anti-herói. Sua narração pretende explicar-nos como ele tenta, de forma ‘heróica’, lutar contra a corrupção arraigada na instituição. Nascimento profere “a minha missão era mais importante que meus problemas pessoais. Eu fiz o que disse para o Matias que eu ia fazer, e transformei o BOPE em uma máquina de guerra.” Como nesse exemplo, Nascimento declara diversas vezes no filme o ‘eu fiz’. Isso acentua a guerra dele contra um sistema inteiro se colocando como herói. Isso é especialmente evidente no final quando Nascimento diz, “eu fui para a CPI do Fraga para detonar o sistema. Eu fui lá para falar a verdade. Botei muito político corrupto na cadeia.” Por essa razão, ele apresenta os fatos mas novamente se auto-promovendo. É claro que como narrador, Roberto Nascimento fala bem dele mesmo. Quando o Rocha ajuda o Matias a retornar ao BOPE por querer tomar a comunidade do bairro Tanque, por exemplo, o narrador explica que “só teve um problema. O Rocha foi chamar justo o Matias para trabalhar com ele. Quem treinou o Matias foi eu, parceiro.” Ele se elogia, não somente como um capitão capaz, mas também como uma pessoa do ‘bem’ e justa. Vemos as consequências da história narrada na imagem de flash-forward no início do filme, e também uma vitória tendo detido certos políticos corruptos e tendo a oportunidade de discursar no plenário. Isso é igualmente evidenciado no fim do filme quando Nascimento explica que “por causa do meu discurso, teve filho da puta que foi para a vala muito antes do que eu esperava. Foi a maior queima de arquivos da história do Rio de Janeiro.” Nascimento nitidamente se invoca como herói da história e discretamente reforça essa esta ideia sobre o espectador durante todo o filme.

A voz do narrador (Capitão Nascimento) é isolada, autoritária, verdadeira, reveladora, e além de tudo – nos comove. É importante analisar sua função porque é ela quem cria a história. Portanto, as imagens exibidas na tela, ou melhor, o filme é apenas uma manifestação de suas palavras.

Últimas Reflexões 

No final do filme, esses elementos são visivelmente presentes quando Nascimento explica que apesar das suas ações heróicas em expô-lo, “o sistema continuava de pé.” Ele invoca uma metáfora para que possamos refletir sobre a gravidade da situação, pois “o sistema entrega a mão para salvar o braço.” Ademais, o narrador tenta revelar-nos a sua verdade, todavia nos entregando uma representação da situação de corrupção real. Ele explica que “o sistema se reorganiza, articula novos interesses, cria novas lideranças. Enquanto as condições da existência do sistema estiverem aí, ele vai existir.” Similar ao filme de Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, o filme de Vidas Secas (1963) como comenta Glauber Rocha, cria uma perspectiva para estimular um sentimento profundo mas não nos oferece uma solução. (Rocha, 1965, p. 2) Nascimento acaba narrando, articulando que “para mudar as coisas, vai demorar muito tempo. O sistema é foda. Ainda vai morrer muito inocente.” Igualmente na ‘retomada’, como explica Piers Armstrong, o cinema tem a intenção de nos apresentar a situação real pois integra aspectos de documentário, mas sem solução para que possamos tomar ação.” (Armstrong, 2009, p. 88) Dessa forma, ele é honesto até o fim ao expor não somente o problema, mas também afirmando a circunstância não favorável. 

Para concluir, o narrador-personagem Nascimento em Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro, evidencia possuir a verdade completa. Por esta razão, como narrador ele também apresenta elementos do documentário e consequentemente tem a habilidade e o poder de impor sua própria opinião ao espectador. Ao examinar essas questões, deduzimos que o narrador é fundamental, mas que ele influencia o público guiando-o ao longo do filme. Consequentemente, Nascimento possui uma autoridade ao contar uma história, ou melhor, uma verdade que ele deseja que aceitemos.

Essa análise também leva em conta que Nascimento expõe elementos que refletem autenticidade e melhor explicam a situação de corrupção atual que se espalha por várias áreas do governo brasileiro. Porém, não podemos responder concretamente a essa pergunta pois o filme é de fato ficcional e a verdade manifestada é apenas uma verdade para o narrador-personagem, Roberto Nascimento.

Por esta razão, o narrador é um elemento crucial que nos oferece muita informação nem sempre exibida nas imagens. Isso rende ao narrador a capacidade de nos influenciar já que suas palavras expõem diretamente sua opinião, e como nos documentários, relata os fatos. A voz do narrador é isolada, autoritária, verdadeira, reveladora, e além de tudo – nos comove. É importante analisar sua função porque é ela quem cria a história. Portanto, as imagens exibidas na tela, ou melhor, o filme é apenas uma manifestação de suas palavras.

Bibliografia

Arias, Enrique Desmond. “The Dynamics of Criminal Governance: Networks and Social

Order in Rio de Janeiro.” Journal of Latin American Studies 38.2. (2006): 293-325. Web.

Armstrong, Piers. “Essaying the Real: Brazil’s Cinematic Retomada and the New

Commonwealth.” Journal of Iberian and Latin American Studies: 85-105. Print.

Borges, Gabriela. “From City of God to City of Men: The Representation of Violence in

Brazilian Cinema and Television” Cinémas: Journal of Film Studies (2011) pp.123-

148. Print.

French, Jan Hoffman. “Rethinking Police Violence in Brazil: Unmasking the Public Secret

of Race.” Latin American Politics and Society 55 (2013): 161-181. Print.

Ikawa, Daniela. “The construction of identity and rights: race and gender in Brazil.”

International Journal of Law in Context (2014) pp.494-506. Print.

Padilha, José. “Tropa de Elite: O Inimigo Agora É Outro.” Directed by José Padilha. 2011

[2010]. Film.

Rocha, Glauber. “Manifesto: An Esthetic of Hunger.” Revista Civilização. (1965): 1-5. Print.

Vieira, João Luiz. “Chronically Unfeasible: the political film in a depoliticized world.” The

New Brazilian Cinema (2003): 85-94. Print.

Wiener, Jon. “The Omniscient Narrator and the Unreliable Narrator: The Case of Atomic Café.”

Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies, Volume

37.1. (2007) pp.73-76. Web.

Xavier, Ismail. “Ways of Listening in a Visual Medium.” New Left Review. (2012) pp.1-12.

Print.

The Effects of Economic Diaspora and the Sense of Belonging in Brazilian film

By Alexandra Petros

The economic and political crises that occurred throughout Brazil’s history lead to an urgent moment in Brazilian society, where diaspora arose and many Brazilians immigrated to countries all over the world. It comes to no surprise when learning that many fled to Portugal, which is a reasonable decision since the language is a common ground for Brazilian emigrants. In the film Foreign Land, by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, the economic diaspora that struck in Brazilian society is exemplified between two protagonists and how their different reasons for leaving Brazil cause them to cross paths and continue on their journey together in Portugal and Spain. By exploring the themes and story line of this film, one will perceive a clear grasp of the situation Brazilians lived through, and how the filmmakers brought reality into a fictional context for people all over the world to better empathize towards Brazilian diaspora. This is an important topic for anyone in the world, as symptoms of homesickness and identity all tie in with emigration. Through literature and film, Brazilians are able to depict this situation, such that a reflection of what happened in reality is portrayed. In understanding the diversity of Brazilian culture and the mosaic of ethnicities from all over the world living in a single nation, one will realize how dramatic diaspora was and how spread Brazilians became in the world. The film Foreign Land successfully portrays the themes of emigration, and identity, while incorporating features of a cliché storyline, such that the audience will remain engaged and have a learning experience at the same time.

Brazilian diaspora in the early 1990s lead to the development of a cinema that represents what occurred in the reality of many people who wanted to escape the political and economic crisis. In focusing on the themes of economic diaspora and a search for identity and sense-of-belonging, one will understand the situation that Brazilian society went through during the 1990s. The film Foreign Land, by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, clearly depicts the reality of what this nation was going through in terms of finding a sense-of-belonging and how the government pushed people to escape their homes. Along with the representation in cinema, many books have been published regarding Brazils history in the 20th century, where film is a form of visual aesthetic of what the published works discuss. The main question of what is “Brazilianess” is the key theme in most Brazilian films of the 20th century, where issues of diaspora and having Brazilians find their identity in different parts of the world is a reality. It is important to note that filmmakers in the 1990s were trying to regain Brazilian audience, and a method to do so is in displaying films that represents their lives and heritage but also carry an interesting storyline, such that cinema can provide an escape from reality. Through analysis of Brazilian films, one may understand the reality of life in Brazil during the 20th century, where empathy plays a powerful tool in the themes of diaspora and identity; along with Brazilian filmmakers attempting to regain trust from Brazilian audience, while expressing a personal message to the world in their creativity in cinema.          

Before discussing the film Foreign Land (1996), it is important to understand the context of the film in terms of historical events and what was happening at the political and economic level. In 1991 and 1992, two fiscal incentive laws were passed in Brazil, as a response to a crisis that enveloped Brazil’s culture industries when President Fernando Collor de Mello came into power and terminated a federal cultural policy that had been enveloping since the 1930s. The two laws, the Rouanet Law and the Audio-visual Law, caused the closing down of various public institutions such as the ministry of culture, which became a subdivision of the ministry of education, and Embrafilme (Brazilian Film Enterprise) (Heise, 2012:56). This was very unfortunate since this was the time when Brazilian cinema was becoming more of a legitimate industry, and thus it experienced a historical caesura, as future events will unfold. During the time of 1990-1994 Brazilian film was essentially inexistent and thus much of the audience lost trust towards during this time. (Heise, 2012:57) In addition to this, it is also important to note the decline that Brazilian cinema experienced in the 1970s and 1980s when films became too pornographic and low budget, thus one can only imagine the poor societal trust towards Brazilian film during the mid 1990s. This is a major factor when looking at films produced after 1995, such as Foreign Land, which was released in 1996 and essentially was a form of regaining Brazilian audience trust towards Brazilian cinema. It is because of the new policy laws and funding implemented in 1994, when Fernando Henrique Cardoso came into Presidency (Xavier, 2012), that Brazilian film industry experienced a resurgence period, known as retomada (Heise, 2012:56).

This retomada in Brazilian film displayed a re-visit to Cinema Novo themes, which is important to discuss before analyzing Foreign Land. Although the themes of films produced in the mid 1990s resemble those of Cinema Novo, they are not exactly the same as to mimic, but rather an hommage to the earlier cinema of social consciousness (Mulvey, 2003:266), which involved displaying a taste of reality to the audience in an often depressing and harsh way. The retomada of Brazilian Cinema shows reality of Brazilian Society but in a more entertaining and plotted way, and with an interesting storyline. This is key when analyzing Foreign Land because it has a romantic story to it, which will be discussed in this paper. As Ismail Xavier states, the ‘re-working of national allegory’ could be an attempt to represent harsh reality and acknowledge the historical caesura that Brazilian society experienced in culture and cinema, because of political and economic change. (Mulvey, 267) This re-working is represented differently in films made during the 1990s, compared to the way Cinema Novo would display hardships. While finding a balance between reality and entertainment, Brazilian film producers in the mid 1990s had challenges at hand, such as regaining audience trust, and subjectively representing history in a way that would relate to audience members.          

In the film Foreign Land, by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, the political and economic diaspora that struck in Brazilian society during the early 1990s is exemplified between two protagonists and how their different reasons for leaving Brazil cause them to cross paths and continue on their journey together in Portugal. Both Paco and Alex are in Portugal trying to find a sense-of-belonging and freedom from their past lives filled with death and pain. These are constant themes throughout the film, where the reality of what Brazilian people went through is depicted in a plot storyline; this is where ties to Cinema Novo’s realistic themes are evident. The prejudice that both Paco and Alex experienced in the film makes the audience realize that although they are in Portugal and do not have much of a language barrier, there is still an existing struggle because of their Brazilian accent, and the lack of confidence experienced because of this. In addition, many Portuguese characters throughout the film say things like ‘Brazilians are always causing problems in Portugal’, or ‘Nothing less to expect from Brazilians’, which are hurtful statements towards anyone who enters a country as an immigrant. This makes the viewer empathize with the self-esteem and integrity issues that immigrants go through, especially when they are forced to leave their country because of government corruption and diaspora. It also makes a viewer consider the more intense severity of such prejudice for the Brazilians who had to go to countries that did not speak Portuguese, such as commonwealth English speaking countries.

The theme of cultural tension is also central in this film, because it not only relates to what happened in the early 1990s, but to South American colonialism as well. Since Brazil is a mosaic of different ethnicities and cultures, it carries cultural tension in its history, where putting people of different races in a single nation influences racism and disputes, but also a pleasant co-existence if all parties are willing. The idea of having these two young Brazilians experience social exclusion to a country they are probably decent from proves how intense it can be to live as an immigrant, regardless of what country it may be. The film also does not fail to entail the original inaugural Portuguese adventure across the ocean, where Alex alludes to Brazil as a peripheral country that went wrong. (Xavier, 2003:50) In having the discussion of colonization straightforwardly discussed, it becomes clear that Salles and Thomas want the audience to consider the irony in having Brazilians go back to Portugal, and how the future can be so interestingly different from the past. This also brings on the theme of how awful diaspora is in forcing people to leave their homes for places across the world.

This film truly brought the 1990s into screen, in regards to the severity of what the government was doing to people. In showing the real television news clips from the 1990s, which include the announcements of Collor de Mello stating the new fiscal incentive laws to be implied, and a representative from the Central Bank of Brazil, stating that peoples bank accounts are going to be frozen, makes the audience feel the horrifying shock that Brazilians felt when they were sitting at home and seeing this on the news. This ties into Paco’s experience, where his mother was shocked and died most likely because of the stress anxiety; showing the toll that government corruption can make on the citizens.

In further analyzing the film, it becomes clear that the central plot is two protagonists striving to find their sense of home and comfort, such that they do not have to fight to live anymore. The focus of how Paco sacrificed his life and safety to travel across the world and reach San Sebastian, Spain, represents the ‘need for finding home’ that he experiences following his mothers death, because this is her legacy that he is trying to live out in honor for her; since it was her dream to go back and visit San Sebastian. The need and search for comfort and identity is what motivates Paco to go through the journey he does, which truly sends the message of how desperate a person can become when they experience personal hardships and disenchantment from their home country. Looking at Alex’s situation, she was struggling working a waitress job, waiting to make the next move into Europe with her boyfriend Miguel, who ended up getting killed. Alex’s struggle in overcoming Miguel’s death and restarting her initial journey with Paco shows that the determination she has to find a home and sense-of-belonging still lives through. This is symbolic, because it shows that with anyone who goes through hardships, they become stronger people. The ties between Paco and Alex’s purposes in their journey reflect the reality of exile and diaspora that many Brazilians faced in the 20th century.

The most significant part of Foreign Land is the ending, where it’s as if all the themes of the film tie in together with this romantic cliché type ending, but with a Brazilian twist. The first element to recognize is the diegetic music while Paco and Alex drive away to Spain, which is the song “Vapor Barato”- by Gal Costa. The lyrics of this song generally say (rough translation) “I’m tired, I don’t need a lot of money, I’m not leaving forever, maybe I will come back one day, I just need to forget it for now” with the chorus “honey honey baby”, this song is very fitting for the scene because Alex is desperately driving to Spain in panic while Paco is almost dying on her lap, from injury. The lyrics to the song represent how she feels leaving Portugal and the desperation she felt while doing so. The next element is what she is saying to Paco in the midst of all of this, which is “don’t worry Paco, I’m taking you home, we’re going home now, we’re going to be safe”, the fact that she says to him that they are going home truly ends off the movie with the empathy towards these two people going on a journey to find home, whatever the definition may be towards each of them individually. It also makes the audience consider how difficult it is to find a sense-of-belonging and identity once one leaves their country, and how passionate people become in striving to achieve this, which is a reality that Brazilians faced in the 1990s. This film ends off in a cliché style, where two lovers drive off into the sunset in search of a utopic life they have in mind, with the mystery of whether Paco survives his injury or not. The plot carries much parallel to cliché storylines in cinema from all over the world, where the theme of a villain and a ‘good/innocent’ character who manages to escape a bad situation is portrayed. This is where it is important to remember how Brazilian cinema was trying to regain trust from Brazilian audience; so incorporating a recognizable and cliché storyline would attract them back. This film carries a balance of well-known, cliché themes and a taste of Cinema Novo themes; such that it has unique Brazilian character but also a feature that people are familiar with. The desperate need of finding a sense-of-belonging and comfort is exemplified by both characters through the sacrifices and decisions they go through in order to reach the utopic dream they both have in mind.          

It is clear that the film Foreign Land is a reflection of how Salles and Thomas perceive the economic diaspora that Brazil went through in the early 1990s, where the case of subjectivity is evident. In any film that is based on reality events, the way the film is portrayed is based on the subjective view of the film producers, and in this case the abandonment that film producers experienced in the 1990s because of the freezing of film funding and of Embrafilme, is a major factor to the subjectivity of Salles and Thomas. This is seen through having the two protagonists go through life changing disenchantments, where in Paco’s situation, the financial trauma that many Brazilians went through is directly portrayed. The way that Brazil is represented as a less desirable place to live, when being compared to the idealistic way that Portugal and Europe is portrayed is also an indication of the need to escape Brazil, because of the harsh political and economic conditions. This brings up the discussion of aesthetic in the film, where it was made in black and white; with the purpose of having the audience focus on the essentials of the movie. This is how film producers chose what they want the audience to focus on, rather than being distracted by colors. Furthermore, the subjectivity in Foreign Land roots to the personal experiences that Salles and Thomas went through when much Brazilian art and cinema had to reapproach the colonial centre, Portugal, during this time in Brazilian history. (Nagib, 2013:162) Thus, the search for home that many Brazilians strived to achieve during their diaspora into Europe is felt in the film Foreign Land, and parallels with what Salles and Thomas personally witnessed.          

In conclusion, Brazilian cinema in the 20th century revolved around the idea of trying to represent what “Brazilian” means and how “Brazilianess” can be achieved in film. Through the political and economic crisis that Brazilian society and cinema faced, filmmakers still managed to execute their artistic creativity. In carrying the mosaic of ethnicities that it does, Brazil’s society is able to find roots all over the world, especially in Portugal, but it is important to consider that regardless of this, any human would feel symptoms of identity crisis as any emigrant would; especially if they come from a diaspora. Salles and Thomas were able to create a beautiful film, Foreign Land, that represented this need to find a sense-of-belonging while going through disenchantment with one’s own country, where their personal experiences are reflected in the aesthetics and central themes to the film. Regardless of political or economic stance, Brazilian filmmakers have always known the effect of film and its influence on society. Through the ups and downs of Brazilian cinema in the 20th century, it is definite that Brazil takes its film very seriously, where the history and development of Brazilian cinema has helped shape not only modern day Brazilian culture and society, but also the rest of South America and Portugal. With strong passion and feelings, because of what Brazilians went through in regards to political and economic crises, Brazil’s film production comes with a strong message and empathetic effect that any audience member can feel when watching a film.

Bibliography

Foreign Land. Directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas. 1996. Portugal: VideoFilmes. DVD.

Heise, Tatiana Signorelli. 2012. Remaking Brazil: contested national identities in contemporary Brazilian cinema. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

Mulvey, Laura. “Then and now: cinema as history in the light of new media and new technologies” in The New Brazilian Cinema, edited by Lúcia Nagib, 266-67. London: I.B Tauris & Co Ltd, 2003.

Nagib, Lúcia. “Back to the Margins in Search of the Core: Foreign land’s Geography of Exclusion” in The Brazilian Road Movie, edited by Sara Brandellero, 162. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2013.

Xavier, Ismail. “Brazilian Cinema in the 1990s: The Unexpected encounter and the Resentful Character” in The New Brazilian Cinema, edited by Lúcia Nagib, 50. London: I.B Tauris & Co Ltd, 2003.

Xavier, Ismail. “Ways of Listening in a Visual Medium” in New Left Review 73 (London: New Left Review, 2012).

Testosterone

Testosterone envisaged by Brazilian-born choreographer Newton Moraes is uniquely collaborative. Within this theatrical laboratory, the dancers move beyond socially expected responses to the pressing issues of sexual politics playfully expressing the myriad kinetic possibilities of hybrid humanity in a post-gender world. 

Newton Moraes Dance Theatre is celebrating its 19th Anniversary with the world premiere of TESTOSTERONE from April 28 to May 01 at 8 p.m. at the Dancemakers Theatre.

Dancemakers Centre for Creation, 9 Trinity St. # 313, Distillery District, Toronto.

As part of Danceworks/Co-works Series Events

Tickets:  $25 General Admission; $20 Seniors, CADA Members and Students

INFO: (647) 920-2883

Buy your tickets here: http://www.newtonmoraesdancetheatre.com/upcoming.html

Choreographer: Newton Moraes. Performers: Emilio Colalillo, Falciony Patino Cruz, Jason Martin, Marco Placencio and Shakeil Rollock. Lighting Designer: Gabriel Cropley. Photographer: Cylla von Tiedemann.

Testosterone was created with the support of Ontario Arts Council. Many thanks to our fabulous performers, Gabriel Cropley, Danceworks and Mimi Beck, Dance Ontario Association and Rosslyn Jacobs, Dance Collection Danse, Toronto Dance Theatre and Christopher House, COBA-Collective of Black Artists, Bakari Lindsay, Charmaine Headley, Patricia Marcoccia, Maziar Ghaderi, Geary Lane, Julie Hanson and Kent Weddington.

Media Support: Dance Collection Danse, Dance Current, Brasil News and Tania Nuttall, Brazilian Wave Magazine, Discover Brazil Magazine and Leila Monteiro, Fala Brasil and Jose Francisco Schuster, K Buena Radio and Martha Cecilia Checa, Oi Toronto, Now Magazine. Photo Credit: Cylla von Tiedemann.

Newton Moraes Dance Theatre is a company dedicated to the creation, performance and production of contemporary dance works to explore, maintain and develop the links between the arts from Canada and Latin America through the artistic vision and knowledge of its founder and artistic director: Newton Moraes. This includes the examination of Brazilian culture and the development of new forms of contemporary artistic expression.