Doc Corner: 'The Edge of Democracy' on Netflix
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 5:33PM By Glenn Dunks
There is a moment towards the start of The Edge of Democracy where director Petra Costa suggests that she thought both she and the political democracy of her homeland, Brazil, “would be standing on solid ground” now that both are in their 30s. It’s a noble idea not to mention a bit cute and certainly a little naïve because anybody with the benefit of hindsight knows that one’s youthful ideals often rarely bear such fruit.
It’s also an appropriate introduction to this, her third feature. That blending of the two narratives is just one small part in how Costa, whose 2012 earlier feature Elena was an even more intimate debut, makes her homeland’s troubling descent into authoritarianism all the more painful. It’s personal. For her and the audience of her gripping and devastatingly relevant documentary.
The Edge of Democracy is easily one of the great works of documentary this year. It is a riveting experience; an impeccably edited navigation of Brazil’s volatile relationship with democracy in the shadow of a deadly military regime that Costa’s own parents fought against in exile and which ended not long after she was born. An urgently essential work that is sadly too late of a warning shot for some, and perhaps just in time for others. It’s a film seething with anger and sadness – or is that hopelessness? – that nonetheless pulsates with blistering cinematic power.
But for as many head-spinning facts as the film flings at its audience about former President Lula and the then-President Rousseff and the many allegiances, backroom handshakes and shady business deals that is common for Brazilian politics no matter the party, Costa herself is never completely blind to the ambiguities of these turbulent years. Yes, it appears quite clearly that the right-wing factions of Brazilian politics (not so coincidentally all older, white men) are conjuring fear in their society in order to poison voters against the progressive leaning Worker’s Party to protect their wealth and disguise their own corrupt immorality. But, as Costa notes, there are inconsistencies that don’t completely absolve Lula and Rousseff.
The Edge of Democracy is a story of several decades told with alarming immediacy. No less than 15 editors are credited, which seems crazy but also makes total sense considering the digest of archival footage and more contemporary protests and political clashes that makes the two-hour runtime feel positively brief. These moments buzz with the same sort of chaotic electricity that fused throughout the likes of Jehane Noujaim’s The Square or Evgeny Afineevsky’s Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (coincidentally both Oscar nominees). Their work is heighted by the music of four composers and João Atala’s graceful cinematography, particularly across recurring sequences that silently slink throughout the Presidential palace as well as masterful use of drone photography that acts as a metaphor for the rich and powerful, hovering above the citizens they supposedly work for, god-like and yet all too willing to sell them short.
It is a film of some delicious visual ironies too. A lengthy sequence – well, it feels lengthy compared to the frenetic protest sequences and political thriller pace of the rest of it – in which a man attempts to write the words of the Brazilian flag “Ordem e Progresso” (Order and Progress) only highlights the distinct lack of those two very things among the narrative, while another involving a literal wall set up to divide people on opposing sides during the Impeachment vote feels remarkably pointed both thematically and in how shabbily it is assembled. So while Democracy may lack the structural quirks and stylistic leaps that some expect in more contemporary documentaries, it never skimps on its own aesthetic choices.
Costa ends the movie with a question about starting anew and yet for both her country and many others, one has to wonder how many times this can be achieved before we realise it is humanity’s nature to go against our better interests and blindly follow the capitalistic, patriarchal systems that routinely cause such societal breakdowns. If people haven’t figured it out by now, then when will they ever? The parallels particularly to American and Russian politics are of course right on through the end credits that inform us the lawyer and judge who helped bring down Lula was then given his own role in the new government of his conservative rival. Same script, different cast.
There is another quote that sticks out, but this one isn't by Costa, but by Warren Buffet. And it's one that sums up the film, and seemingly the whole world right now, perfectly. "There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that is making the war. And we're winning."
Release: Streaming on Netflix worldwide.
Oscar chances: It's not just a solid contender for the nomination, but it's a frontrunner for the win.
Reader Comments (14)
Why didnt you mention that Petra's family owns Andrade Gutierrez, a construction empire which was a key player in Lula's -and his party's- cartel??? She is one of the heiress of a company that was a main piece in the puzzle of corruption, money laundring, illegal use of public money, bribes-in Brazil and abroad-and personal enrichment.
Why did you leave this information out of your article?
#elenao #nothim
Great review Gleen. I feel very sad and worried about living in Brazil today. all this conspiracy has led us to elect a president who hates gays and minorities. The rich class are really winning.
#elenao #nothim
Why didnt you mention that Dilma's disastrous economic policies led the country into the longest and deepest recession in its history? Whatever social advances the poor may have had, it all went down the drain after she threw the country into the worst recession the country has ever experienced.
Unemployment skyrocketed. Companies went bankrupt. Multinationals left Brazil. Small bussinesses shut their doors. It was all Dilma"s fault, the result of her irresponsible and uninformed way of leading the countru's economy.
And Lula's empire of corruption had branches in many other countries. Lula is a very charismatic leader and a political wolf, but he is guilt.of evrry single thing he is being accused of.
The recent revelations about how the judiciary was lined up to incriminate Lula without proof. So he would not be elected are even more terrifying. cheering for the oscar nomination.
lol at Amanda
longest and deepest recession in its history? lula's empire of corruption? this is not a fact.
spreading fake news is the right party way of doing politics nowadays, unfortunately...
Nataniel, don't pay attention to Amanda- she is a bolsominion (the nickname to the supporters of Bolsonaro)- and this garbage people spread fake news and ignore the reality about the president's corruptions scandals.
In Brazil the healthcare includes free HIV treatment but the new government stoped buying the medications and some Brazilian states (Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte) announced there's no medication to HIV pacients. Before Bolsonaro's election he said it and I quote "if you don't have sex with condoms, the government is not supposed to pay your treatment".
I still need to watch this doc.
@Remy the recession is not fake news. Its a fact. As well as thr unemployment rates, the shrinking economy and the scale of corruption.
@Tony, who are you to say what I am or Am not? You dont know me. I didnt vote for Bolsonaro. As I've never voted for PT. If you accuse me of being "garbage" without knowing a single thing about me, it says more about you than it does about me.
What about Lula's bribes to the congress and its cartel with Andrade Gutierrez, Odebretch, OAS and others? This bribing scheme is being investigated abroad.
What about BNDES's scheme in Angola and Mocambique? The 500 bill8om reais used in this scheme? The dirty money? The foreign accounts?
Were they the only corrupt politicians in Brazil? Obviously not. Nobody is that stupid to say such a thing. Corruption is a generalized problen in brazilian politics. But Lula and Dilma are far from the angelic, naive, pure victims you are claiming them to be.
And anyone who claims Dilma didnt throw the country into deep recession is just turning a blind eye due to ideology. Say that to the 12 million unemployed citizens that she left behind.
"I didnt vote for Bolsonaro". Beloved?
The only condemnation of Lula until now has been a legal farce. Any little educated person knows this.
Yes, @Amanda, you are garbage. A bolsominion in disguise.
Intercept just released the leaked conversations between the prosecutors and the judge in Lula,s trial and the judge is instructing the prosecutors to proceed and even feeding names of witnesses against Lula. And you obviously forgot to mention that, right?
The same journalist that won the Pulitzer for the Snowden expose it's exposing rhe corrupt judgement. And the judge-Sergio Moro- that condemned Lula (which stopped him to run for President) it's now the Head of Justice and decided to investigate the journalist -Glenn Greenwald- that is exposing hia lies. You also forgot to mention, right?
I don't think that former President Dilma did an amazing job, but she left almost 3 years ago and the reforms that are happening are destroying the people's rights.
Well Tony, if you are not capable of having a respectful conversation without resorting to name calling, offenses and attacks, I will not continue this conversation any further.
For the record I never said that Lula and Dilma are angels. The @amanda (bolsominion in desguise) said that I claimed that. I never did. She says she's not a bolsominion but she follows their routine of lying, appointing to others the kind of behavior that she has. No, I never claimed that and you are trying to twist the facts with your lies.
I have no need to express anything regarding this bolsominion, when someone starts to lie about what I said, it's time to let the liar speaking alone.
@Amanda
The biggest recession in history?! Beloved...
This country has seen an inflation rate of 5.000% in the early nineties, the unemployement rate was 13% a few years back during the FHC goverment. When Dilma left these numbers were 6% and 8%, respectivaly.
The lack of knowledge of our recent history is what brought us to this miserable point, where bigotry took over the power with Bolsonaro at the presidency.