Brazil is 8.51 million km² in size, divided into five regions: South, Southeast, North, Northeast, and Central-West. It is the seventh most populous country in the world, with people from all over the globe. At its foundation are Indigenous peoples, Africans, and Portuguese settlers. However, in 1808, with the opening of the ports, the Portuguese government began allowing the entry of other peoples into Brazil. After Brazil became independent, it attracted immigrants from Italy, Germany, Japan, and the Levant region (Syria and Lebanon), among many other groups, who have contributed to the country’s diverse culture and enriching heritage. One of the most notable elements of Brazil's cultural diversity is its language. In contrast to Portugal's neglect of foreign influences, Brazil has become a melting pot of various countries, regional accents, sociolects, and generational idioms. In the present day, there are current initiatives to restore the indigenous culture with digitalisation of their languages, myths and traditions. However, the Brazilian audiovisual industry does not do justice to the national treasure, this is concerning in a media-driven society.
In British cinema, accents are used as part of characterisation to convey information about the characters’ background, including not only their hometown and origins but also their social class.
For example, in the film "Love Actually" (Richard Curtis, 2003), the Prime Minister, portrayed by Hugh Grant, speaks with a posh accent. This accent symbolizes his character's power and elite status. Additionally, it contributes to the portrayal of his actor heartthrob persona, the charm which aligns with the image projected to attract tourists to the United Kingdom and bolster its economy.
On the other hand, Gaz (portrayed by Robert Carlyle) from "The Full Monty" (Petter Cattaneo, 1997) hails from Sheffield in the North of England. Both elements—his character's origins and accent—are crucial. The region of Sheffield is historically associated with the 18th-century Industrial Revolution and is often regarded as a symbol of labour and the working class. Gaz's Yorkshire accent reinforces this identity through specific pronunciation, vocabulary, and intonation patterns. This aspect of the film aligns with the British social realism tradition, which frequently casts unknown actors and retains their original accents. Such authenticity enhances the film's commentary, though the film is a hybrid form of the genre, blended with comedy.
The Brazilian audiovisual industry fails to capitalize on the richness of the Brazilian language, which is a melting pot influenced by various cultures, microregions, social classes, and generations. Instead, Brazilian media typically adopts a standardized accent, usually from the middle to upper classes of Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo axis, thereby homogenizing linguistic diversity. When other accents are present, they are often portrayed by actors who may not be from the respective regions, whether geographically or socially. This practice contributes to unemployment among diverse groups of people, marginalizing them and perpetuating stereotypes. It also results in half-hearted portrayals that diminish cultural identity, instead of celebrating and benefiting from their contributions to Brazil's cultural landscape.
For example, there has recently been a debate on social media surrounding the upcoming telenovela "No Rancho Fondo" by the popular Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo. The arguments revolved around its promotional images, which were criticized for perpetuating stereotypes about the Brazilian Northeastern region. These images depicted scenes set in the Caatinga, a unique biome found exclusively in Brazil, characterized by dry vegetation consisting of drought-resistant plants such as cacti, thorny shrubs, and deciduous trees. The Caatinga region is known for its extended periods of drought, irregular rainfall, and high temperatures, contributing to its status as one of the poorest regions in the country and prompting many residents to migrate elsewhere. However, in the present day, Caatinga has been modified with modernisation. A worthwhile reminder is the biome is muse over the eyes of literature and music, that are an integral part of Brazil's cultural heritage.
Unfortunately, these aspects are often ignored by prominent media channels, which instead portray the Northeastern region in a stereotypical light, depicting rural settings with aesthetics associated with the Caatinga and resorting to "Brazilian yellowface." This practice involves non-Northeastern performers using makeup to portray a caricatured version of Northeastern characters on stage or in entertainment. This is not an isolated incident; a beloved Brazilian masterpiece, "Auto da Compadecida" (Guel Arraes, 2000), featuring racial slurs, banditry, religiosity, wattle and daub houses, and painted portraits. Again, another generalisation with half-truths.
The Brazilian Northeast is not the only target for this type of stereotyping. "Minha Irmã e Eu" (Susana Garcia, 2023), the highest-grossing Brazilian film since the pandemic, is also guilty of this. The film features renowned female comedians from the contemporary era of the country, situated in the Central-West region. It incorporates sertanejo aesthetics and soundtrack, depicting cowboys, cattle, rural settings, and cameo appearances from the genre's musicians. However, the accents are used for comedic relief purposes. Although the sertanejo music genre remains the most popular in Brazil, is male-dominated, and originates from the Central-West region. Despite this accuracy, the film reduces the vast area to one single feature.
The Brazilian North is typically depicted as solely comprising the Amazon Rainforest and Indigenous histories, which, while accurate, oversimplifies the region and overlooks its diverse richness. Similarly, the Brazilian South is often neglected by the mainstream media, despite its status as a "mini Europe" region with significant influences of the continent stemming from 18th-century immigration. Despite this cultural heritage, there are separatist movements such as "O Sul É o Meu País," which advocates for the separation of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul from the rest of the country.
There is still a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness: the successful Prime Video series "New Bandits" (2023-), which has recently been renewed for an upcoming season. The series features authentic Northeastern people and incorporates the aesthetics of banditry, drawing from historical context. Typically, these films are set in the Brazilian northeastern hinterlands, focusing on the phenomenon of 'cangaço.' This was a banditry movement that emerged at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in Brazil's Northeast, with the most famous figures being Lampião and Maria Bonita. The movement consisted of inhabitants from semi-arid areas who engaged in various criminal activities, including robbing towns, kidnappings, murders, and rapes. The movement was violently suppressed by the Brazilian government of the time, and on screen, these figures are often portrayed as villains. Prime Video's series challenges this narrative by placing them in lead roles as well as women, offering a fresh perspective and attracting new audiences, while also competing against Rede Globo.
Brazilians by Brazilians are citizens of paper. Numbers in the statistics. Subject-matter on the news. Subject does-not-matter in society. Ghosts haunting and hiding There are many hidden gems within' them; many stories to (re)tell.
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