The Brazilian Apocalypse in the Tropics
Dissecting the predictable propaganda and surprising aesthetics of the Netflix documentary "Apocalypse in the Tropics" about Brazil
Netflix is the new USAID, pushing predictable propaganda to hit the erogenous zones of its PMC audience.
On July 14, Netflix released Apocalypse in the Tropics, a critically acclaimed documentary about Brazilian politics. It is the sequel to The Edge of Democracy, which was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2019 Academy Awards. Petra Costa, the director and producer of both films, is Brazil’s version of an AWFL champagne socialist. She is the daughter of left-wing activists and the granddaughter of a construction magnate who was involved in a major corruption scandal. True to stereotype, she studied anthropology at Barnard and social psychology at the London School of Economics. She even has the globalist girlboss haircut - the bangs hide the mind virus within.
Given her and Netflix’ bias, the film plays out like a Marvel movie. There is no subtlety in the framing of parallels to America and Trump. The threat to Brazil’s sacred democracy is fascist dictator Bolsonaro and his Evangelical base, which has grown from 5% to 30% of the population in 40 years. Separation of church and state is eroding the false god of democracy. Lula and the left are the good guys. Communism is a ghost that the far right is unhealthily obsessed with. The real problem is Silas Malafaia, one of the most influential Evangelical pastors in the country. He is the Brazilian Bannon, a spicy boogeyman who the left hates for calling out Marxism and can never win an argument against. Even Billy Graham is blamed because he held one of the largest sermons in history there back in 1974.
Despite the film’s smears against the right, it is an aesthetic victory. Bolsonaro, Malafaia, and their supporters appear much more relatable, energetic, and patriotic. Their massive crowds are drenched in the bright yellow and green of Brazil’s flag and soccer jerseys. Individual interviews show humble people of all walks of life and ethnicities praying together. They yearn for a brighter future free of the poverty and corruption that has plagued their nation. We even see footage of Bolsanaro getting stabbed in an attempted assassination, which has been memory holed.
In contrast, Lula and Supreme Court justice Alexander de Moraes appear dark and demonic. Their color palette is black and red. Lula’s raspy voice and angry demeanor are striking. You don’t need to read the subtitles to feel his ominous presence, even though he is portrayed as a hero. He dismisses campaigning in churches, but gives in to pander to voters. de Moraes spews doublespeak in his dark cape, shouting “Freedom of expression is not freedom of aggression”. Disinformation is a plague. Sound familiar?
The documentary ends with even more parallels to America. Lula wins by a razor-thin margin in a suspiciously fortified 2022 election. In response, Bolsonaro supporters storm the capital buildings like January 6. At the end of the movie, we are given an update that Bolsonaro has been banned from running for office. The same week the film was released on Netflix, de Moraes and Lula ordered Brazilian police to raid his home. They have forced their political opponent to wear an ankle monitor, stop using social media, and never speak to foreign officials. It’s ok when the good guys do it. This is what democracy looks like!
Will Netflix promote a documentary about how Brazilian leftists are suppressing free speech? Or how Islamist religious political parties are taking over Europe? Or syndicate “Empire of Dust”? Of course not. It’s all so tiresome.
If democracy is the left’s god, then anyone to the right of Mao winning election is an apocalypse. Democracy is the god that failed. If the critics rave about a movie, it is sure to be agitprop:
It's a mathematical equation:
Self-righteousness minus self-awareness = leftist
We might go back to the original meaning of the word "apocalypse" which isn't the end of the world, but the part of the wedding ceremony where the bride's veil is lifted. Hence the Catholic Book of Apocalypse is known by Protestants as the Book of Revelation (the revealing). It's the fact that event of the marriage of Christ to His Bride the Church happens at the end of time that bring most people to associate the word with total destruction.
In truth, it's something beautiful. Something to be longed for.
Given your description of the visual language to depict both sides of the political divide, I half-wonder if our stern little girlboss director had an actual original thought and subtly coded a different interpretation to her work.
But that would mean that she too can see the encroaching inevitable future and, frankly, what are the chances?