Cidade Invisível (2021) is a Brazilian fantasy Netflix series, there is one season and seven 30-minutes long episodes. The series follows the journey of a skeptical, workaholic, environmental detective named Eric after the death of his beloved wife and a sequence of weird coincidences. Eric is obligated to deal with his inner conflicts whilst troubled by his doubts: day versus night, real versus imaginary, family versus work, and past versus present.
Carl Jung (1875-1961) was an important Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who founded analytical psychology. His work was influential in varied fields of social science. will focus on his definition of an archetype in this piece, which is fundamental to psychology. Jung defined it as images and themes that derive from the collective unconscious. Having said that, it is noteworthy that primarily, archetypes are the bare bones of any storytelling.
Despite the barriers and countless historical-cultural differences, the myths from folklore are essentially archetypes. Based on Carl Jung’s approach, they are universal. Therefore, Cidade Invisível has many references to the Brazilian famous myths, which in some ways can relate to other well-known legends. Cuca and Tatu Marambá, whose stories are equivalent to Bogeymen and Bugbear. Cuca is a female alligator or morph, and Tutu is a devourer creature. Moreover, we have Iara and Boto Cor-de-Rosa whose stories are comparable to Iren from Greek Mythology. Both allure people, Iara petrifies fishermen, while Boto Cor-de-Rosa gets young women pregnant and abandons them. The story from Curupira/Caipora is similar to Leshy’s from Slavic mythology, however, their appearance is extremely different. Curupira is known for his fire head, short height, and feet turned backward (to trick the hunters). Leshy is a man with a pointed head, who doesn’t have eyebrows, eyelashes, or right ear. Both are considered mischievous protectors of forests. It is fundamental to consider the uniqueness of each global region, which has created incomparable cultural myths, for example, Saci and Corpo Seco. Saci is a mischievous black boy, who smokes a pipe, wears a red hood, has one leg, and tricks people and animals. Corpo Seco, whose soul was rejected by God and the Devil, because of his evilness while he was alive, and was so disgusting that even the soil didn’t want his flesh.
Cidade Invisível is full of symbology, starting with its title, which is a wordplay. Most of the Brazilian folklore characters are in the margins of society in peripheral regions, some of them are homeless. It is a critique of a worldwide issue, especially of our capitalist modern-day society, which is tainted by socio-economic inequality. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, while the homeless become invisible, however, curiously they are subject-matter in the news and numbers in statics. The names of some characters have special meanings. Luna means moon, most of the Brazilian legends are set during the night time, especially during the full moon. Isac is Saci spelt backwards. Manaus is the same name as the capital of Amazonas (state), the dominant Brazilian region of the well-known rainforest, full of biodiversity, like Pink Dolphin.
The Netflix show has messages of great importance and urgency for the Brazilian audience. The deaths of the national characters could be an allegory for the ethnocide that unfortunately happens frequently, especially when the Brazilians devaluates its rich culture. The Brazilian writer Nelson Rodrigues (1912-1980) coined the term “mongrel complex”, which relates to this idea and he defined as:
“The inferiority in which Brazilians put themselves, voluntarily, in comparison to the rest of the world. Brazilians are the reverse Narcissus, who spit in their own image. Here is the truth: we can’t find personal or historical pretexts for self-esteem.”
Other messages throughout are essential in highlighting the critiques towards nature devastation and disasters, as well as gentrification that sadly are increasing in Brazil.
When Cidade Invisível was released, it was in the top charts internationally of 46 countries. It represents a different side of Brazil that most people outside of the country do not know. Brazil is much more than beaches, butts, football, favelas, and samba. The Netflix show is located in an unpopular neighbourhood by the foreigners, Lapa in Brazil. If anglophone audiences watched more international productions, it might help to break down some barriers, patterns, tropes, and stereotypes of other international ethnicities. Once they are more informed and cultured, they could be less ethnocentric and understand more about the world we share. Although admittedly, it can be hard to find such productions, what with the ongoing battle between supply and demand, and streaming platforms inevitably focus on the popular mainstream. Arguably, this situation is slowly changing however, I encourage further change and promise you it is worth it. Don’t forget the discourse from the iconic 92nd Oscar winner:
“Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films” (Bong Joon-Ho).
I would also add that you will discover a whole new world, or in the case of Cidade Invisível, multiple worlds!
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