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Renowned American filmmaker Oliver Stone recently completed a highly anticipated documentary on Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. While the release date remains unannounced, the film promises a deep dive into Brazil’s recent political history, focusing on Lula’s incarceration between 2018 and 2019 and his subsequent return to power.
Stone, known for his committed and sometimes controversial works, spent several months traveling with Lula to create this documentary. He examined the legal proceedings targeting the former Brazilian president since 2011 for allegations of corruption and money laundering, among others. “The documentary addresses the legal proceedings, what happened when they imprisoned a president of a prosperous country for corruption, which isn’t really unusual in these countries,” Stone mentioned in an interview with AFP in Paris.
This isn’t Stone’s first exploration of Latin America. Over five decades, he has produced several fiction films and documentaries related to this region, starting with Salvador (1986), featuring James Woods. Notable among his works are a trilogy of documentaries on Fidel Castro (2003, 2004 and 2012) and My Friend Hugo (2014), about former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, produced by the Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur.
When asked about similarities between Lula, Chavez and Castro, Stone stated that he views them as “humanists.” “They are all unique and do their best to serve their countries,” he believes. This perspective may be debatable to some, especially since Stone’s documentaries on Castro and Chavez have been criticized for a lack of objectivity and indulgence towards these controversial leaders.
However, Oliver Stone fully embraces his stance, considering himself a “free thinker.” He boldly addresses sensitive topics, such as the use of legal proceedings for political ends. “I think legal proceedings are used globally for political reasons, as a political tool. But the entire world is corrupt. Russia operates on corruption, as do Turkey and the United States,” he states, referring to his series of interviews with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
This outspokenness and focus on controversial figures led some to label Stone a conspiracy theorist, a tag he dismisses. This label also contributed to his outsider status in Hollywood, a status he appears to fully embrace. Regarding the upcoming US elections in November, he asserts that he will not vote for either Trump or Biden.
Despite winning three Oscars, notably for Platoon and JFK, Oliver Stone admits that returning to feature film directing seems challenging. He now focuses on documentaries, a format allowing him to explore in-depth topics that interest him and give voice to often criticized or misunderstood figures.
The documentary on Lula perfectly aligns with this approach, it examines the Brazilian political figure’s journey, legal issues and return to power. Stone aims to shed new light on a controversial figure and a country facing deep political divisions. It remains to be seen if the film, to be presented at festivals before its official release, will stimulate debate and alter perceptions of Lula and Brazil’s political climate.
One thing is certain: with this new documentary, Oliver Stone reaffirms his role as a committed and provocative filmmaker, always ready to challenge prevailing views and spotlight the most controversial personalities of our time. Whether one agrees with his vision or not, the impact of his films on public discourse and on our understanding of contemporary geopolitical issues is undeniable.
With AFP
