RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The film “Marighella” was screened on Sunday, November 17th, in a sold-out session in Lisbon, still without a release date in Brazil.
In debate after the screening, Wagner Moura, production director, said he was a victim of censorship. “Censorship in Brazil today is a fact. They have banned culture,” he said.
“We knew it would be very difficult to make this movie. I am very prepared for this [threats], I have no problem in debating. What I wasn’t prepared for was for the movie not to be released in Brazil, when we already had a release date and everything was arranged.”
Scheduled to premiere on November 20th – Black Awareness Day – and the month marking the 50th anniversary of the guerrilla fighter’s death – the movie’s release was canceled in September.
In a statement, O2 Filmes stated that the producers “failed to comply in time with the procedures required by ANCINE (National Cinema Agency).
“I will continue to fight for the premiere to take place. I hope to launch it next year,” Moura said. Applauded on several occasions, Moura criticized President Jair Bolsonaro and the government’s cultural policies. “Marighella’ is not an isolated case. Bolsonaro has declared war on culture,” he said.
According to the actor and director, Bolsonaro is taking “revenge” against the artistic class that criticizes him.
Sold out almost a week before the screening, “Marighella” is part of the Lefest (Lisbon & Sintra Film Festival). As a result of its success with the public, the film earned an extra session on November 24th.
Last Sunday’s screening was attended by the former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, to whom Wagner Moura dedicated the presentation.
Based on the biography “Marighella”, by Mário Magalhães, the work is starred by Seu Jorge, as Carlos Marighella. Adriana Esteves and Bruno Gagliasso are also in the cast.
Brazilians form the largest foreign community in Portugal and, in recent months, Brazilian film productions of a critical social nature have been successful at the box office.
At a festival in September, “Bacurau”, by Kleber Mendonça Filho, filled one of Lisbon’s largest movie theaters and earned two extra sessions.
In October, the Doclisboa festival, the main documentary film festival in Portugal, featured a special schedule dedicated to Brazilian films, with many debates about the productions and the state of democracy in Brazil.
According to the organizers, the initiative was an act of solidarity against the budget cuts in ANCINE announced by Bolsonaro’s government.