Lusotopie Recherches politiques internationales sur les espaces issus de l’hist

Lusotopie Recherches politiques internationales sur les espaces issus de l’histoire et de la colonisation portugaises XVI(2) | 2009 Afrobrésiliennité ? Luso-afrobrésiliennité ? Beyond Stereotype and Comedy The ‘pop’ and the ‘modern’ Brazil on screen Au-delà des stéréotypes et de la comédie. Le Brésil « pop » et le brésil « moderne » à l’écran Transpondo estereótipo e comédia. O Brasil ‘pop’ e o Brasil ‘moderno’ na tela Katia Augusta Maciel Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/lusotopie/144 ISSN: 1768-3084 Publisher: Association des rechercheurs de la revue Lusotopie, Brill, Karthala Printed version Date of publication: 1 June 2009 Number of pages: 27-40 ISSN: 1257-0273 Electronic reference Katia Augusta Maciel, « Beyond Stereotype and Comedy », Lusotopie [Online], XVI(2) | 2009, Online since 25 September 2015, connection on 13 November 2019. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/ lusotopie/144 Tous droits réservés © Koninklijke Brill NV , Leiden, 2009 Lusotopie XVI (2), 27-40 Also available online – brill.nl BEYOND STEREOTYPE AND COMEDY The ‘Pop’ and the ‘Modern’ Brazil on Screen* The Northeast of Brazil has historically been stereotyped as the antagonist of the wealthy and ‘modern’ Southeast. Although considerable attention has been paid to recurrent depictions of the Northeast in Brazilian cinema, a detailed study that pinpoints the stereotypes associated with the region but looks beyond them to discuss the nuances of the actual geographical, socio-cultural and political space in cinematic depictions remains to be done. This article argues that such a study can illuminate profound ruptures of a supposed national unity and also can point to current strategies of reconciliation. The argument evolves around the meta- morphosed Northeast depicted in a recent popular Brazilian comedy, Lisbela e o Prisioneiro (Lisbela and the Prisoner, 2003). The aim is to demonstrate that the fi lm conveys a very clear political message beyond the obvious popular appeal of the comedy genre. Au-delà des stéréotypes et de la comédie Le Brésil « Pop » et le Brésil « moderne » à l’écran Le Nord-Est du Brésil a été historiquement stéréotypé comme antagoniste du Sud-Est prospère et « moderne ». Une attention considérable a été portée aux représentations récurrentes du Nord-Est dans le cinéma brésilien. Mais reste à effectuer une étude détaillée qui pointe les stéréotypes associés à la région tout en apportant une vision au-delà de ces derniers afi n de discuter des nuances de l’espace géographique, socioculturel et politique actuel dans les représentations cinématographiques. Dans cet article, nous affi rmons qu’une telle étude peut mettre en lumière les ruptures profondes d’une supposée identité nationale, et indiquer également les stratégies actuelles de réconciliation. L’argument est basé sur le Nord-Est métamorphosé décrit dans une comédie populaire brésilienne récente, Lisbela e o Prisioneiro (Lisbela et le Prisonnier, 2003). Alors devient très clair le message politique véhiculé par le fi lm au-delà de l’intérêt populaire manifeste de la comédie. Transpondo estereótipo e comédia O Brasil « Pop » e o Brasil « moderno » na tela O nordeste do Brasil historicamente tem sido estereotipado como o antagonista do rico e « moderno » sudeste. As representações do nordeste no cinema brasileiro são recorrentes e têm recebido atenção considerável, porém um estudo detalhado que aponte os estereótipos associados à região nessas representações mas que olhe além deles para discutir as nuanças do real espaço geográfi co, sócio-cultural e politico ainda está por ser realizado. Este artigo argumenta que tal estudo pode iluminar rupturas profundas de uma suposta unidade nacional e ainda apontar estratégias atuais de reconciliação. A argumentação é construída em torno do nordeste metamorfoseado que é retratado na comédia popular Lisbela e o Prisioneiro * This article is part my PhD research (University of Southampton, 2008) with the support of CAPES (Coordenação de Aperferiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior). 28 katia augusta maciel (2003). O objetivo da discussão é demonstrar que o fi lme transmite uma clara mensagem política além do óbvio apelo popular do gênero de comédia. T he imagery of the Northeast of Brazil constructed by its landscape, cultural forms and archetypical characters has historically been used (not only by fi lms) as an allegory of Brazil’s underdevelopment (Xavier 1997), as well as of what is most treasured and loathed in the country, namely, its cultural roots and its social problems as seen in the acclaimed Central do Brasil (Central Station, Walter Salles 1998). Other recent fi lms such as Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus (Cinema, Aspirins and Vulture, Marcelo Gomes, 2005) drew on similar lines also achieving international recogni- tion1. In the past many other domestic productions explored the emblematic poten- tial of this geographic region to touch a nerve at home as well as attract audiences abroad. Examples range from Lima Barreto’s O Cangaceiro (1953) to Nelson Pereira dos Santos’s Vidas Secas (Barren Lives, 1963) and Glauber Rocha’s Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol (Black God, White Devil, 1964), all acclaimed productions that quintes- sentially represent Brazilian cinema. These recurrent depictions of the Northeast in Brazilian fi lms have been largely discussed, but most of the lengthy existing literature focuses on the hermeneutics of stereotypes reproduced on screen. A detailed study that pinpoints these stereo- types and looks beyond them to discuss the nuances of the actual geographical, socio-cultural and political Northeast in cinematic depictions remains to be done. Such a study can illuminate profound ruptures of a supposed national unity and also can point to current strategies of reconciliation. Much of what follows explores these issues, but remains open to future revision, as the article has been designed to promote further research more than anything. The argument evolves around the metamorphosed Northeast depicted in a recent popular Brazilian comedy, Lisbela e o prisioneiro (Lisbela and the Prisoner, Guel Arraes 2003). Despite the fact that the fi lm has never been released internationally, and has been mainly considered merely a commercial production with little artistic merit, I intend to demonstrate that it conveys a clear political comment on rela- tional patterns between different Brazilian regions beyond the obvious popular appeal of the comedy genre. Lisbela e o prisioneiro not only exemplifi es the trend to revisit the ‘northeast motif’ in recent Brazilian cinema (Nagib 2007), but also undermines stereotypes associated with the region, exposing in the process the extent to which comedy can be revealing of both the culture and structures of power from which it springs. The socio-cultural North-South divide on screen Lisbela e o prisioneiro, originally written by Osman Lins as a play in 1960, has achieved great popularity since it was fi rst performed in Rio de Janeiro in 1961. Born in the rural city of Vitória de Santo Antão, in the Northeastern State of Pernambuco, 1 The fi lm was shown in the offi cial selection Un Certain Regard in Cannes 2005 and won a National Education Prize. It was also chosen by the Brazilian authorities to represent the coun- try in the Oscars, but unfortunately was not nominated by the North-American Academy. the ‘pop’ and the ‘modern’ brazil on screen 29 Lins carefully mixed regional cultural traditions with the universal appeal of comic stereotypes (the killer, the Don Juan and the innocent girl) in a story about love and freedom. This combination attracted the general public in the fi rst place, as it would later win over the fi lm director Guel Arraes. He fi rst adapted Lins’s text for television in 1993, with the help of his main collaborators, Jorge Furtado, Pedro Cardoso and João Falcão2. In 2001, Arraes and Falcão re-adapted the television version for the stage. This new play, drawing on the successful television version and featuring well-known TV actors toured the country. In 2002, Furtado, Cardoso, Falcão and Arraes, together with some of the casting from both the theatrical and televisual adaptations turned Lisbela into a cinematic production3. The fi lm was shot partly in Pernambuco (most of the exterior sequences) and partly in Rio de Janeiro (most of the interior sequences) between October and November 2002. The production had a high budget for Brazilian standards (5 mil- lion reais, about 2 million US dollars) that was jointly fi nanced by the Brazilian Government and commercial companies4. Lisbela was released in Brazil in August 2003 and attracted more than 3 million spectators, constituting one of the biggest domestic fi lm hits of that year5. The fi lm tells the story of a movie-mad girl about to get married when she meets the real love of her life – a Northeastern Don Juan named Leléu. In the opening sequence Lisbela, played by Débora Falabella – a well-known Southeastern TV soap opera actress in Brazil – and her fi ancé Douglas – Bruno Garcia, a Northeastern actor known for his work on theatre and television – are trying to fi nd the best place to sit in a cinema auditorium. The camera pans across the auditorium showing the couple as well as other moviegoers as they anticipate the beginning of the main feature. Lisbela wishes to get immersed in viewing the fi lm, while Douglas is more interested in seducing her. Both characters uploads/Geographie/ beyong-stereotype-and-comedy.pdf

Tags
Administrationlisbela northeast leléu brazilian brazil
Documents similaires
  • 34
  • 0
  • 0
Afficher les détails des licences
Licence et utilisation
Gratuit pour un usage personnel Attribution requise
Partager