Name: Vlado: 30 Anos Depois
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2005-09-30
Duration: 1 h 30 min
Rating: 7.2
Cast: Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, Aldir Blanc, João Bosco

João Batista de Andrade's documentary "Vlado - 30 Anos Depois" ("Vlado: Thirty Years Later") is a good tribute to a friend of the director, the journalist Vladimir Herzog, a victim of the brutal repression of the military regime who got killed in 1975 after alleged relations with the Communist Party. His death, told by the military as being a suicide - poorly faked - was the beginning of the end for the regime, prompting to several gatherings, masses and outcry from high members of the Brazilian community of the period, which later on evolved to another protests and public demonstrations from other sources (which was forbidden in the repressive years before 1975) then the opening came in the early 1980's.

Friends, colleagues and others provide great insights on Herzog, and a little is shared about his career on cinema - he directed the short film "Marimbás", of which I also wrote about it, and wrote the initial treatment for the feature "Doramundo", a little gem from the Brazilian cinema yet to be discovered by a wider audience - and everyone bring nice stories about the man and also the events prior to his arrest and death.

Andrade makes a good job but not great. It's easy and flows well with the testimonies and some bits of facts but it's presentation is tiring and poorly done with a digital camera completely out of focus with huge close-ups on the faces of the people being interviewed. The camera is so up high that at times it feels like an amateur is shooting the picture rather than the professional Andrade is, as seen in other documentaries he directed since the 1960's. It was distractive; and the rhythm of everything is sloppy and careless since it depends of presenting its facts and stories with the main figures rather than having recreation of events or archive footage/photos of Herzog and his family.

I liked the stories and the information, especially the ones I didn't know about but I think more could be said of the infamous photography of the fake suicide.

That image hauted a whole generation and it was that brought the regime down, since one could easily see that the body's position could never prove that one could kill himself in such low angle and manner (hanged on his cell from a seated position). I wanted to see the people's shock when remembering that single moment, or discuss it more. Obviously we can't have the people responsible for the picture or people who worked on the DOPS so the facts as presented is just too little.

As a tribute and a reminder on Vladimir Herzog 30 years after his passing this was well done and for those who don't know anything about him, the circumstances of his death and the context of his death and importance during the dictatorship period this film is the best of its kind. Not sure if there are others films about it but I keep on waiting for a dramatic release with actors and recreation of facts. That'd be spectacular if told as it happened. 7/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

Alexandre Rodrigues in City of God (2002)

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The documentary tells the story of journalist Vladimir Herzog, nicknamed Vlado, who has been tortured and murdered during the repression years of Brazilian military dictatorship.

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Vladimir Herzog in Vlado: 30 Anos Depois (2005)

João Batista de Andrade in Vlado: 30 Anos Depois (2005)

Vlado: 30 Anos Depois

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