Brazilian Cinema and the Aesthetics of Ruins

Guilherme Carréras book explores the imagery of ruins in contemporary Brazilian cinema, analyzing three groups of unconventional documentaries focused on distinct geographies. It articulates critiques of progress and (under) development in the Brazilian nation and challenges documentary-making conventions and the country's official narrative.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Winner of the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS) 2023 Award for Best First Monograph.


Winner of the Association of Moving Image Researchers (AIM) 2022 Award for Best Monograph.


Guilherme Carréras captivating book delves into the imagery of ruins in contemporary Brazilian cinema, exploring these representations within the broader context of Brazilian society. Carréra conducts an in-depth analysis of three distinct groups of unconventional documentaries, each focusing on unique geographical regions: Brasília - The Age of Stone (2013) and White Out, Black In (2014); Rio de Janeiro - ExPerimetral (2016), The Harbour (2013), Tropical Curse (2016), and HU Enigma (2011); and indigenous territories - Corumbiara: They Shoot Indians, Don't They? (2009), Tava, The House of Stone (2012), Two Villages, One Path (2008), and Guarani Exile (2011).


Through these diverse portrayals of ruinscapes, these powerful films offer critical critiques of the notions of progress and (under)development within the Brazilian nation. Carréra invites the reader to immerse themselves in the debris and engage in a reflective exploration of the spatial representation strategies employed by the filmmakers. He contextualizes these films within the legacies of Cinema Novo, Tropicália, and Cinema Marginal, raising important questions about how these contemporary films engage with or deviate from previous artistic traditions.


By engaging in this dialogue, Carréra argues that the selected films not only challenge documentary-making conventions but also challenge the country's official narrative. Through their innovative approaches and thought-provoking narratives, these films contribute to a broader understanding of Brazilian cinema and its role in shaping societal perceptions and narratives.

Weight: 718g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350203020