O Processo

May 17 2018 N/A 2h 20m
Documentary, History

The impeachment and removal from office of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in 2016 was triggered by a corruption scandal involving, among others, her then vice-president Michel Temer. Director Maria Augusta Ramos follows the trial against Rousseff from the point of view of her defence team. This is a courtroom drama that unfolds slowly: the appearances of the various parties gradually turn the proceedings into something akin to theatre. Inside the courtroom, grand emotions are played to full effect whilst, on the other side of the doors, lobbyists and supporters pace the corridors. Meanwhile, outside, in front of Brasília’s modernist government buildings, demonstrators are chanting like a Greek chorus. Only the main character, Rousseff herself, remains professional and aloof.

Plot

The Trial documents the trial of Dilma Rousseff, focusing on the defense team, who struggles to prove her innocence against a majority vote by a Congress riddled with corruption. A tale of betrayal and corruption, the film presents Rousseff's personal story: herself imprisoned and tortured by the country's former military dictatorship, she now faces impeachment accused of fiscal crimes. Rousseff declares herself innocent and accuses the right-wing opposition of perpetrating a parliamentary coup d'état. The Trial witnesses how the impeachment triggers a profound political crisis in Brazil. It looks at the collapse of the democratic institutions and at the economic and geopolitical interests at the very heart of this crisis. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at this historical moment. The filmmaker was granted unique access to the defense team, to deputies and senators and to President Rousseff herself. Ramos' technique is wholly observational, without interviews and narrations. The camera captures physical and conversational interactions in private and political spheres while offering viewers a glimpse of the outdoor mass demonstrations.

Written by

Maria Ramos

Directed by

Maria Ramos

Cast

Dilma Rousseff, Jair Bolsonaro, José Eduardo Cardozo

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

Brazil

Production Companies

Vitrine Filmes, Autentika Films, Canal Brasil, Nofoco Filmes Produções Cinematográficas, Conijn Film

Languages

Português, Français

Awards

6 wins & 6 nominations

Scores
# of Votes
1,489
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA