Film criticism and ideological patrol: the case of Carlos Diegues’ Xica da Silva

The filmmaker Carlos Diegues coined in 1978 the term “ideological patrols” in reference to some leftist film critics who try to control the artistic production from their political reason. The initial sticking point was born after the negative reviews of the underground press about Xica da Silva (1976). The article examines the critical reception of Diegues film in the newspapers, giving special attention to the texts that created the debate. At that time, the national popular culture was used as an analysis criterion for Brazilian films. We elucidate in firsthand the backstage and internal controversy caused by Xica in underground newspaper Opinião, in a period of increasing leftist fragmentation.

 https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/revistafamecos/article/view/23120/14605