For a documentary with such an engaging topic, it's strange that you leave the film feeling like you don't know many details of what actually happened.
Brazilian political history is rife with corruption and controversy. As democracy and more socialist government programs rise under Lula and his successor Dilma (though their actual policies and stances are one of the many elements not pinned down by the film), a right wing movement rises in opposition, culminating in impeachment of Dilma and imprisonment of Lula. As a call to action and frustration with corruption and unjust politics, it's fairly convincing, but that's because it shows little of the real views on either side. We see the weak accusations levied against Dilma and Lula, and we get a bunch of random, seemingly uninformed random people giving their two cents, but we never hear the real reasons behind the right-wing fight against them or much of what Dilma and Lula did in office. The cinematography also varies enormously in aesthetic between a personal, handheld narrow perspective which makes the political events more engaging, and a series of wider shots of protests and the city of Brasilia which are pretty but don't match the tone of the film. While the director's personal views are abundantly clear and her anger comes through, there is little nuance or substance in the view. I'm inclined to agree and love Lula and Dilma, but a film about political movements has to have more information in it. It's shocking how mediocre and unaffecting the film is for how fascinating I find the subject and am inclined to share the views of the director.
Brazilian political history is rife with corruption and controversy. As democracy and more socialist government programs rise under Lula and his successor Dilma (though their actual policies and stances are one of the many elements not pinned down by the film), a right wing movement rises in opposition, culminating in impeachment of Dilma and imprisonment of Lula. As a call to action and frustration with corruption and unjust politics, it's fairly convincing, but that's because it shows little of the real views on either side. We see the weak accusations levied against Dilma and Lula, and we get a bunch of random, seemingly uninformed random people giving their two cents, but we never hear the real reasons behind the right-wing fight against them or much of what Dilma and Lula did in office. The cinematography also varies enormously in aesthetic between a personal, handheld narrow perspective which makes the political events more engaging, and a series of wider shots of protests and the city of Brasilia which are pretty but don't match the tone of the film. While the director's personal views are abundantly clear and her anger comes through, there is little nuance or substance in the view. I'm inclined to agree and love Lula and Dilma, but a film about political movements has to have more information in it. It's shocking how mediocre and unaffecting the film is for how fascinating I find the subject and am inclined to share the views of the director.