#640: Jeferson De e o espelho de Narciso

·1 hr 34 min·5 clips

Jefferson De says 'Narciso' is revolutionary: a 90-minute film with dark-skinned, poor black characters where no one dies.

The episode begins with hosts Rafael Arinelli and Fernando Machado introducing guest Jefferson De, a prominent Brazilian filmmaker. They highlight his recent film 'Narciso,' released on March 19th, which reimagines the Greek myth of Narcissus to explore a black child's struggle with self-image and racism. Jefferson discusses his background, growing up in Taubaté and studying cinema at USP, where he discovered his black identity through the university's black consciousness nucleus. He recounts developing the Feijoada Dogma manifesto in 1999, inspired by Dogma 95, which established seven rules for black cinema, including black direction and protagonism. The hosts ask if Brazilian cinema has absorbed these premises after 26 years; Jefferson believes the industry hasn't, but black directors have become more aware. The conversation shifts to his work in television, particularly directing the soap opera 'Garota do Momento,' which featured a black protagonist and team. Jefferson describes a powerful scene in chapter 8 recreating a 1950s black boycott, an event not widely recorded in Brazilian media. He reflects on transitioning between TV and film, noting TV's industrial pace versus cinema's experimental freedom. Jefferson shares personal anecdotes, like meeting Michael B. Jordan at an Oscar voters' event and his admiration for films like 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Moonlight.' He explains why he returned to his 2005 short 'Narciso Rap' to make the feature 'Narciso,' emphasizing maturity and biographical elements. The film uses silence and magical realism to depict pain, with photography by Lili Soares highlighting dark skin tones. Jefferson argues 'Narciso' is revolutionary because it portrays poor, dark-skinned black characters without violence or death. The episode concludes with recommendations: Fernando suggests an album by Criolo, Amaro Freitas, and Dino; Jefferson recommends Max de Castro's album 'Camba Raro' and the film 'Sinners'; and Rafael recommends the podcast's 600th episode on black cinema and the short film 'The After.'

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