Iracema – Uma Transa Amazônica

Brazil / Germany 1975, 91 min., English subtitles

Built during Brazil's military dictatorship, the Transamazonica road, cutting the world's largest rainforest, was meant to be a symbol of a powerful and developed nation. Bodanzky, Senna and their small crew dared to produce this landmark fiction film in the region. Instead of progress, they depicted a reality of poverty, prostitution and environmental destruction. The producers had to go to Germany to edit the film, which was initially censored in Brazil.

followed by:

Era Uma Vez Iracema – Once Upon a Time Iracema

D: Jorge Bodanzky, Brazil 2005, 45 min, English subtitles

A documentary on Iracema, with includes interviews with the film's directors, Fernando Meirelles, and various film critics, and analyses of its innovative, near-documentary film language.