Inadequacy, isolation and melancholy: young people in brazilian films during the development of bolsonarism

Abstract

The depictions of youth in brazilian movies during the period of bolsonarism’s rise are marked by a hopelessness that manifests itself, on the one hand, in anguish, torpor, and paralysis, and, on the other, in anxiety, haste, and heightened intensity. In this article, we examine twelve feature films released in the twelve years preceding Jair Bolsonaro's presidency based on the perception of these characteristics in the behaviors of their young protagonists. We also analyze how these behaviors reflect the state of mind of a country on the verge of seeing a right-wing authoritarian movement come to power. Like water through stone (2010), by Marília Rocha, and The sky above (2011), by Sérgio Borges, are the reference films in the analysis, which also cites Arabia (2018), by Afonso Uchôa and João Dumans, The vulgar hours (2013), by Rodrigo de Oliveira and Vitor Graize, Neon bull (2016), by Gabriel Mascaro, Cão sem dono (2007), by Beto Brant and Renato Ciasca, Colors (2013), by Francisco Garcia, Body electric (2017), by Marcelo Caetano, Hill of the sky, by Gustavo Spolidoro (2011), The famous and the death, by Esmir Filho (2010), Hard paint (2018), by Filipe Matzenbacher and Marcio Reolon, and Yonlu (2018), by Hique Montanari.