The Brazilian Identity
"Deus é Brasileiro"

How many times have the Brazilians heard that "God is Brazilian"? The Brazilians probably can't remember because it happens so often. This phrase is commonly said on the streets of major cities and even on the small ones. It is repeated on the farms, among rural workers and landowners. Also, it is commonly used on the churches as well as in schools, hospitals, offices and soccer stadiums; so that it can mobilize people on religious manifestations such in particular moments of prayer. Everyone can say "God is Brazilian" and there isn't any difference between the rich and the poor.

God is so important and he is present in the Brazilians daily routine that is very usual to hear phrases such as: "Thank God", "God leave me out of that", "God forgive me", and "Only God saves"…

Thereby how can we characterize this Brazilian God, mentioned so many times by the people, rescued by Carlos Diegues for the production of a movie entitled "Deus é Brasileiro" (God is Brazilian)?

In order to have conditions to say that God is Brazilian, maybe should be better for us to answer some questions like these:

a) Can you find out some ethnic influences on the origin of the Brazilian people (such as the Portuguese, Indians, Africans, European immigrants…)?

b) Can you understand the Brazilian peculiar parties, dances and music?

c) Can you make a research about the Brazilian food and eating habits? Find out information about animals and plants that come from this country.

d) Do you know something about the religious options and the origins of Brazil?

e) What do you know about the sounds, images, texts and all kind of cultural references that can be used to explain our country?

f) Do you know who are the greatest Brazilians, the ones who have produced innovations on art, politics, sports, education and health?

g) Can you research about the Brazilian history from the past to nowadays?

Does it seem an easy task? Certainly not. After all, we are talking about more than 500 years of history and trying to define the identity of a country. This movie makes a "check-up" on the national health in order to verify our "criminal record" and find out our "educational history". Also, this movie evaluates our cultural production and draws our genealogical tree. The Brazilian identity really exists and it is present in everyone like an authentic and true genetical inherit accumulated along many years.

Certainly, God seems like the Brazilians because people wish this. We want that the Creator carry with him the flame of hope; we wish he could reach the beauty that was naturally given to us; we are sure that his hands are like ours - marked because of the hard and continuous work - that he can be loved and be able to love. God can know the forest and the desert; the pain and the joy; poverty and richness.

Can you mention an other population that has the same opportunities on its way?

The Movie

After so many time working with no interruption (centuries and centuries, since the birth of this world), with no chance of resting a little bit, even God (Antônio Fagundes) seems to be tired. He decided to relax a few days in some constelation filled with beautiful sightseings, created by him. There are, however, a small problem… God can't go out on vacation without a substitute that can work on his duties. We could imagine that maybe Saint Peter, Saint John or even Saint Paul could, during God's vacation, replace him. But, it is not possible because all of them have already many commitments and responsabilities.

To solve his problem, God decides to choose a new Saint. He even has someone for the job that can easily respond for him during his resting period. This person lives in Brazil and, because of that, God is going to come personally to find and charge him of his new duties.

When he arrives in Brazil, God meets Taoca (Wagner Moura) and Madá (Paloma Duarte). This young couple follows him wherever he goes. Taoca discovers that he is dealing with God and tries to get his grace (this character shows the typical Brazilian; smart and capable of solving situations with a special touch called "jeitinho brasileiro"). Madá fell in love with her "professor" (this is the way they call God); she doesn't know why she is feeling that way (because she is not aware that this "man" is really God), even because this strange man is much older than her.

This astounishing and quite weird group travels through Brazil and passes in different regions and places, finding out the incredibly beatiful landscape and also, the needs of the people. The movie presents to us this country filled with contrasts and faith; and more important than that, make us think about the origins and identity of Brazil…

Aos Professores

1- The major point of the movie is, as we could discuss in the introduction, finding out the Brazilian identity. The definition of this identity depends on a major research that will ask for sociological, philosophical, anthropologycal, historic and literary support (among others). In order to make this an easier task, it is recommended that teachers work activities that can stimulate students to "discover Brazil" step by step. To do so, I suggest that a few ideas could be followed:

a) Researches about the major Brazilian cities (origins, economy, cultural background, political structure,…)

b) Working out with cultural themes such as Brazilian Literature, popular Brazilian music, food, traditional parties,...

c) A special focus on the ethnical basis of the Brazilian people can be found with the use of movies, literature, newspapers or magazines.

d) How do the Brazilians look at themselves? This questioning could be made with a web research, interviewing the Brazilian people through Internet.

2- Another strong theme explored by this movie is religion in Brazil. Even because of that it should be worked on a special basis. The teacher could ask students to make a project that could be filled with interviews with priests and ministers, visitations to churches and temples and filming or taking pictures. On a second moment students could find out data about the subject in books, encyclopaedias, religious magazines or websites. To close the project there should be made a comparison between the information that aroused from the interviews (and visitations) with the one that was found in the texts.

João Luís Almeida Machado
Master Degree in Education, Arts and History of Culture (Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, in São Paulo); Professor at Faculdade Senac in Campos do Jordão; Middle and High School teacher; writes weekly columns for the website Planeta Educação

Send e-mails, comments, suggestions and critics for:
profjoaoluis@planetaeducacao.com.br

Technical Information

"Deus é Brasileiro"

Country/ Year of Production:- Brazil, 2002
Lenght of Time/Gender:- 110 min., Comedy
Director: Carlos Diegues
Screenwriters: João Ubaldo Ribeiro, Cacá Diegues, João
Emanuel Carneiro e Renata de Almeida Magalhães,
baseado em conto de João Ubaldo Ribeiro
Cast:- Antonio Fagundes, Paloma Duarte, Wagner Moura,
Stepan Nercessian, Hugo Carvana, Bruce Gomlevsky,
Susana Werner, Castrinho.

Links
(in portuguese)

- http://e-pipoca.cidadeinternet.com.br/filmes_zoom.cfm?id=4576
- http://www.adorocinema.com/filmes/deus-e-brasileiro/deus-e-brasileiro.htm
- http://www.cineguia.com.br/index.shtml?cod_filme=CNA26394&rg=0
- http://www2.uol.com.br/columbiapictures/hotsites/deus_brasileiro/ (official website)