A Bruddah's Mind

Déo Cardoso's 2021 Brazilian film follows Saulo, president of the student union. He is racially abused in class; when he answers back he is called to the principal's office and refuses to take the punishment alone. The subject is that refusal growing. Saulo decides to stay in the school and not leave it; other students join him and the matter becomes an occupation. The narrative shows politicisation through reading directly. It was made on a low budget with young performers. The dialogue is dense and the camera sits inside the crowd; the narrative also shows the reactions of teachers and administrators and leaves no one one-dimensional. Who it's for: those who follow Brazilian independent cinema and narratives about racism. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a school film that ends in reconciliation; the narrative does not close the conflict.