XVII Congress of the Brazilian Studies Association

Maria Augusta Ramos and the Theater of State institutions: From the Trilogia da justiça to Amigo secreto

• In Event: Woman-Centered Brazilian Cinema

Abstract

In this presentation, I analyze Maria Augusta Ramos work, in particular the Trilogia da Justiça (Justiça, 2004; Juízo, 2007; and Morro dos Prazeres 2013), O Processo (The Process, 2018), and Amigo secreto (2022). I examine how her aesthetic choices and documentary style create a domain formed by public spaces, state institutions, and the characters determined by both. Ramos has developed a unique perspective and sharp look at the structural elements present in Brazil’s political and social spheres. Seemingly distanced, that gaze is softened by and contrasted to the action of her multidimensional characters and the way they navigate the harsh circumstances in their interactions with public institutions.
Following her vision that artistic creation is an incessant recreation, I will examine how her narratives are the result of her characters experiences interacting with the structures they deal with. Maria Augusta Ramos’ work produces ordinary and familiar images, but their too common and uninterested aspects become, through character building, dramatization and mise-en-scène, an unusual and complex portray of contemporary Brazil.
--Paula Halperin, Purchase College, SUNY

Author

• Paula Halperin, Purchase College, SUNY