Behind Closed Doors

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Behind Closed Doors is a powerful documentary by João Pedro Bim that exposes the darkest chapter of Brazil’s military dictatorship. The film centers on the pivotal moment in December 1968, when the regime enacted Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5), a decree that suspended the constitution, silenced dissent, and plunged the country into its most violent era.

What sets Behind Closed Doors apart is its ingenious use of never-before-heard archival audio recordings from that infamous meeting. The recordings are meticulously synchronized with state-produced propaganda newsreels. These newsreels are revealed as tools of manipulation when paired with the chilling voices of leaders openly dismantling democracy.

Behind Closed Doors not only documents a critical period in Brazilian history but also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of preserving historical memory.

“If propaganda functions as a kind of intellectual opium, Behind Closed Doors provides a rigorous detox through its contrasting of official narratives and concealed abuses of power. Bim accentuates this distancing effect on a visual level by adding freeze frames, time lapse and jump cuts to the existing footage. Such manipulation of continuity pokes holes in the facade of collectivity projected by the state.” – Phuong Le, The Guardian

“By using propaganda, past distortions of the truth, and recycling them–and not simply regurgitating them–Director Bim manages to add a more multidimensional depth to these recordings which set the record straight in the present. Especially in a time where apologists of the dictatorship, such as former president Jair Bolsonaro, have been thrusted to power in Brazilian politics, pieces such as this work are of paramount importance. ” – Forum Film Dokumenter

“Presented are a compilation of archival photographs, footage of rioting, pro-military regime commercials, and audio recordings of various regime officials giving justification for the removal of constitutional rights. Viewers are given context to what they are viewing, making this piece approachable for the novice. The propaganda commercials are particularly revealing, as they are reminiscent of communications from the authoritarian regime in George Orwell’s book 1984.” – Andrew Koval, MSLS, EMRO

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Main credits

Bim, João Pedro (film director)
Bim, João Pedro (screenwriter)
Rufino, Matheus (film producer)

Other credits

Editing, Bruna Carvalho Almeida.

MARC Record See Worldcat record

Keywords

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