An American artist decided to visit Brazil and film the construction of the new capital of the nation being constructed in the late 1950's. Brasília was idealized by
president Juscelino Kubitschek who wanted to move the capital from Rio since the state was surrounded by a large shore which could provide easy attacks by sea and another idea was
to develop the nation's center, most precisely the state of Goiás, a large area without habitants and completely underdeveloped with deserts and forests. With the design of
architects Oscar Niemeyer and Lúcio Costa the project moved ahead with a unique style characterstic of Niemeyer's work with those modernist buildings, and it generated plenty of new
jobs, gathering workers from all over the country. Brasília was destined to be another city of the future and a true example of progress, and the main political offices such as
the presidency, the Senate and the Congress would stay there.
"Brasília According to Feldman" presents the incredible images shot by the American artist Edward Feldman showing the construction of this new capital. Here, viewers will
have the chance to see the desert area before the buildings and constructions take over, and some glimpses of the facilities halfway through construction. As for the voices who tell us
about the construction of Brasília, director Vladimir Carvalho found one artist who had some designs made for the place and one worker of the place who later became a farmer over there.
They share amazing and jaw-dropping stories as the fascinating images of the city and the workers unfold.
It's not much of a happy and idealist story as bosses were telling to people while inviting to come to Brasília and work in the city's construction. Many workers were deprived
of food and water, there were many accidental deaths that were covered up by the management - since people were coming from long distances the family would only be notified that their
relative went missing -, and one case of a slaughter by the place's security or police force in charge of security after a complaint from workers demanding better working conditions.
That dream vision never happened during the making, only when it got completed in 1960 that the population could have a positive opinion of it - through the decades and the many political
changes Brasíia isn't seen with such good eyes by a majority of the population.
The film doesn't show the tragedy and the obstacles faced by the workers, most of the time we see aerial images of the buildings and the twin towers in the works, and the
constant overflow of workers coming and going. All of those images are amazingly well-shot, in great color and obviously that a foreign observer would have such a quality camera to use;
had it been an observer from here it'd be those newsreel cameras that barely moves and revealing grainy images. I was mesmerized by the images and stunned by the stories told. And seeing
Brasília at a time when there was nothing there, no houses, no institutions or anything was really something. A couple of years ago I was told my grandfather had plans to move to work
there but something got it in the way and he never did. Thankfully because the environment he'd encounter would be one of hardship, hunger and possible death.
Mr. Carvalho's access to those images and then collecting the testimonies and putting all together was an incredible work. One of the most fascinating documentaries I ever
seen. When you look at Brasília as it is now you'll get blown away by how great it looks - after all, it is the only major city in Brazil that actually had a real planning and design
with those countless streets and large avenues with their straight lines. Impressive. 10/10.