An intimate portrait of Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva that explores the rise, fall, and return to power of a politician considered extraordinary after 19 months in prison. This is the premise of “Lula,” a documentary by American director Oliver Stone and Rob Wilson about the president of Brazil that premiered in Cannes on Sunday (19).
In an interview with the official festival website, Stone explained what his documentary is about.
“It deals with the period when Lula was imprisoned for almost two years and, more generally, the period between 2016 and 2022. As President of Brazil for two terms, from 2002 to 2010, he was responsible for much of the country’s progress. Then came Dilma Rousseff, who was removed from office amid very strange judicial processes. After that, the situation in Brazil shifted much further to the right, with Bolsonaro becoming president in 2018.”
The documentary features exclusive interviews with the president and his advisors. The main interview with Lula was conducted by Stone during the 2022 election campaign.
“I talked to Lula about his entire life; he is a good man. I think he represents something we have really forgotten: we can have good and liberal presidents. We don’t need war. He is one of the most peaceful people in the world that I know and has the ability to make people talk again, to lead countries to change their policies,” Stone said.
“Lula” was screened in the “Special Screenings” section of the official selection of the Festival and does not participate in the competitive showcase.
The launch session of the documentary in one of the rooms of the Palais des Festivals was packed, and the film’s team received a warm applause. Before the screening, Stone stated that the documentary is “about a special person in today’s world, a unique leader.”
Source: g1 and Festival-cannes