Displaying items by tag: Naruna Costa

STATE OF FEAR/ Salve Geral: Irmandade

Brazil, 2026, 103 minutes, Colour.

Naruna Costa, David Santos, Seu Jorge, Hermila Guedes, Yetunde Ahmed.

Directed by Pedro Morelli.

In 2019 a Brazilian television series was called The Brotherhood. This feature film is a spin-off from the series, bringing the series to further close with the deaths of some of the key characters. While the emphasis is still on the Brotherhood, it ranges more widely, a narrative commentary on Brazilian society, the city of São Paulo, the role of the police, the numerous prisoners, the crowded prisons, and all the underlying corruption. Audiences may remember Hector Babenco’s Pixote which set a trend in films about Brazilian prisons, and other dramas like City of God…

The screenplay is rather episodic, like chapters of a book. There is an interesting prologue, a police party, husband, pregnant wife, and suddenly explosions and the attack by The Brotherhood, and the attempt to get the wife to the hospital for the birth. (And, touch of spoiler, they do reappear at the end of the film, bringing the themes and characters together, tragically.)

The film highlights the present situation, transferring prisoners to greater security, the networks inside prison, the Brotherhood and the orchestration of the violent uprising which brings the city to a standstill. The key character is the Counsellor, who tries to negotiate with the authorities while having a relationship with the leader of the Brotherhood.

Then, there is Elisa, seen in a rap competition, with a boyfriend, then profiled by the police and help for ransom.

Flashbacks are presented about Elisa, her father who established the Brotherhood, his wife, happy life, but racist criticism and his arrest.

While the film continues with the uprising, the focus then is on the abduction of Elisa, one of her abductors and his taking her to his home, a narrative included about his mother, and then the Counsellor coming to the rescue, the escape, the violent confrontations, especially at a railway station.

Something of a mirror for Brazilian audiences. Something of an alert about prisons, police corruption for audiences outside Brazil.

1. The tradition of Brazilian films about prisons, riots, police, corruption, rebellions?
2. The city of São Paulo, the views of the city, the streets, police precincts, homes, the prisons and interiors? The action sequences, the riots, car chases…? The musical score?
3. The film as a spin-off from a television series? A stand-alone film? Knowledge of the characters, the backgrounds? The structure of the film, a prologue (and the epilogue), focus on the Counsellor, the young woman and her background, the competition, the flashbacks to her fat came her, her parents, happy days, crisis of the beach, the camera, her father’s arrest, his subsequent history? The focus on the Brotherhood and the coordination of the rebellion? The focus on the abduction of the young woman and the Counsellor pursuing? Like chapters in a book, all eventually coming together?
4. The tone of the opening, the party gathering, the pregnant woman, her husband, the sudden explosions, the Brotherhood and the uprising? The beginning of the birth, in the car, getting to the hospital, the husband in his strong-minded urging of his wife to focus on the birth? And the sadness of the epilogue, Elisa and her anger, against the police, shooting the car, the dead officer and his dead wife, the crying of the baby, Elisa standing at the end, the camera drawing back, her holding the baby? A judgement of the past? A message for peace and the future?
5. The Counsellor, her relationship with Ivan, in the prison, the founder of the Brotherhood, the memories, her brother? The flashbacks to him and his wife, time in prison, his wanting justice, love for his daughter, at the beach, the camera, the racist criticisms, his arrest? News of his death?
6. Elisa, the rap competition, the poetry, the crowds, the background, her opponents? The relationship to Cristina, her aunt? Coming to the room, sending her away? On the bike with the young man, held up by the police, profiling him, the bike, the interactions, the recognition, the man going the way, the police keeping her for ransom?
7. The uprising, Ivan, the coordination, the radio communication, decisions, the role of the Counsellor, her wanting to intervene, diplomacy? The mayhem in the streets, the shootings, on the bikes, the cars, the police, many dead? Gridlock in the city, the cars, the closing of the railway line?
8. Elisa, the death of her capturer, with Borges, capturing her, taking her home? His mother at work, sent home, the crowds, the difficulties, her love for her son, the shower and the meal, the son and his tying up Elisa, the bar, trying to kill her, his mother stopping him? Elisa and her escape, Cristina coming and helping? The son and his mother, in the car, the pursuit, the chase at the railway station, the train, the carriages? The ultimate confrontation, the escape in the car, the son and mother in pursuit, the crash? His wanting her to go to hospital? His death? Cristina being shot, the deaths, Elisa and her anger leading to the rage in shooting the policeman and his wife?
9. A commentary on Brazilian society, the police, corruption, gangs, uprisings, violence?