The Edge of Democracy

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Was Brazil’s democracy a short-lived dream?

 

As a child in 1985, filmmaker Petra Costa (Elena, Olma and the Seagull) saw democracy take root in Brazil following years of authoritarian rule under a military dictatorship. Gaining unprecedented access to working-party leaders Lula da Silva and his protégée Dilma Rousseff, Costa traces the downfall of both democratic leaders following corruption scandals that resulted in the impeachment of Rousseff and the imprisonment of da Silva.

 

Merging the personal and the political, Costa delves to the heart of her country’s unfolding identity crisis, examining widespread institutional corruption while connecting her own family’s complex political and industrial past to Brazil’s current crisis. Capturing a unique historical moment, THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY examines the complex forces at play that erode one system and replace it with another.

Regular engagement opens at IFC Center on Wed Jun 19.

• Running Time 113 minutes
• Distributor Netflix
• Director Petra Costa

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.