The Day That Lasted 21 Years (O Dia que duro 21 anos) 2012
Distributed by Pragda, 302 Bedford Ave., #136, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Produced by Camilo Tavares, Flavio Tavares, & Karla Ladeia
Directed by Camilo Tavares
DVD, color, 77 min., English and Portuguese with English subtitles
Brazil, South America, Culture, International Relations, Human Rights, Politics
Date Entered: 01/26/2017
Reviewed by Malcolm L. Rigsby, Department of Sociology, Human Services, & Criminal Justice, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, ArkansasThe Day that Lasted 21 Years captivates…sovereign manipulation, democracy, and dictatorship collide in the case of Brazil and the U.S.A.Director and producer Camilo Tavares proposes an interesting portrayal of how a powerful nation, in this case the U.S.A., may secure political alignment and support through covert invasions of national sovereignty. The question arises as to whether and how countries such as the U.S. may politically and militarily transform otherwise democratic process thereby creating malleable dictatorships that benefit U.S. objectives.
~ Malcolm L. Rigsby
On the heels of Fidel Castro’s seizure of Cuba three years earlier we may question what the role of the U.S. was in the establishment of the military dictatorship in Brazil. Was it a logical deployment of hegemonic power by the U.S. in regards to Goulart’s growing relationship with China that led to this event or was it something else? Or, was it simply imperialism?
Perhaps this film is no more important to Americans than now. In light of the present concerns over foreign meddling in the 2016 presidential elections we may consider the need for all nations to strive for “clean hands” in their international dealings.
The film captivates and stimulates moral and ethical questions in the use of political and military power in international as well as domestic settings. Tavares superbly provides much fodder for group studies in sociology, political science, history and criminology. Perhaps this film may enlighten debate about this type of activity in the developing role of global terrorism that our society now finds itself confronting daily. A review of the trailer for the film may be viewed at the distributor’s website.
Awards:
- 2014 Sao Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards, Brazil, Best Documentary
- 2014 Platino Awards for Iberoamerican Cinema, Best Documentary
- Arizona International Film Festival, Special Jury Award
- St. Tropaz International Film Festival, Best Foreign Documentary
- 2013 Long Island Film Festival, Special Jury Award