Docs to Watch
Apocalypse in the Tropics
When does a democracy end, and a theocracy begin? In Apocalypse in the Tropics, director Petra Costa takes us on a decade-long journey through the spiritual and political upheaval of Brazil. What begins as a search for signs of life in a fragile democracy transforms into a deeper inquiry into the seductions of power, prophecy, and belief. More than a chronicle of political change, the film is a cinematic investigation of the fault lines that emerge when religion fuels political ambition. A Netflix release.
A Q&A with director, producer, and writer Petra Costa immediately follows the screening.
Presented in Portuguese with English subtitles.
DIRECTOR
Petra Costa
PRODUCERS
Petra Costa
Alessandra Orofino
WRITERS
Petra Costa
Alessandra Orofino
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
For over a decade, Petra Costa has been telling stories at the intersection of the personal and the political, with a strong focus on the themes of trauma and representation. Her documentary The Edge of Democracy was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Peabody Award. Her other films include the feature Elena and Olmo and the Seagull. She has also produced the films Ecstasy, Babenco, and Beba.