Case of the Naves Brothers

Luiz Sérgio Person's 1967 Brazilian film concerns a real miscarriage of justice. Two brothers who report their partner's disappearance to the police are arrested on a charge of murder and forced under torture to confess to a crime that never happened. The film does not tie the error to one person. The method of interrogation, the court's acceptance of the confession and the conduct of the press are shown together; even when the missing man reappears years later, the process cannot be wound back. It was made under the military government and drew attention for showing torture openly. Raul Cortez and Juca de Oliveira lead. The images are harsh and the narrative offers no emotional softening. Who it's for: those who follow Brazilian cinema and narratives of judicial error. Who it's not for: viewers for whom scenes of torture and sexual violence would sit heavily; the film takes them as direct subjects.