Extra credit: Codes and Modes The Character of Documentary Culture (Jogo de Cena)

  

"Jogo de Cena" (2007) by Eduardo Coutinho (Master of the Documentary Encounter)          

At the beginning of the screening presentation, Professor Ivone Margulies, began with an introduction and explanation on some films that were created and directed by Eduardo Countinho. Prof. Margulies presented the ideology and representation that were implied in each film.  Prof. Margulies explained that Eduardo Coutinho wanted to represent a day-to-day basis and the reality of civilians in Brazil throughout his films. After 10 minutes of a brief history on Eduardo Coutinho, she played the film "Jogo de Cena."

It started with a first shot of a newspaper announcement, it required only women, who were 18 or older, to tell their stories and experiences for a documentary. Then, there is a shot of a theater and a woman walking to the stage from staircase and she is asked a question from the director (Coutinho) she begins her tale and then there are consecutive shots and sequences of other women telling their “own stories” as well. The stories vary from a mother who lost her child to a woman wanting her own independence. There are constant sequences from a woman who is crying to a woman who is smiling and remembering her past.

The Documentary unfolds with two women telling the same story. At first, I didn’t notice that there was a correlation between the stories up until the middle of the film. I was confused by the similarities of the stories and the words were exactly the same. I watched the end of the film with a question in mind, if it was fiction or a documentary. After the end of the film, Prof. Margulies and Prof. Marty Lucas held a discussion in which Prof. Margulies explained that the women on the film were all Brazilian actresses and playing a role. The announcement on the newspaper was real and real women went into the auditions and told their own stories, the interviews were recorded and then it was given to the actresses to reenact the stories as their own. I believed everything they said as if it was their own story and I even sympathized with each actress. I believed that Mr. Coutinho wanted to show the difference between reality and fiction. The implication of the film was that it doesn’t matter who tells the story, it is why and how it is told to capture an audience and to give empowerment to every women. I was reminded of a class last semester, that reality and fiction can be combined in order to tell a story and to create awareness.