Corpos negros no cinema de Glauber Rocha

Abstract

This research investigates the representations of Black bodies in the cinematographic work of Glauber Rocha, with an emphasis on the films Barravento (1962) and A Idade da Terra (1980). The problem of this research can be formulated as follows: how does Glauber Rocha articulate a critical visual discourse in his cinematography, exploring the tensions between oppression and resistance in Brazilian society? Grounded in Achille Mbembe’s (2018) theory of necropolitics, the study reveals that Glauber Rocha portrays Black bodies not as mere objects of exclusion but as symbols of strength and cultural resistance, positioned at the core of the country's social and economic contradictions. The research objectives include analyzing the representation of Black bodies as socio-anthropological testimonies reflecting Afro-Brazilian religious practices, music, and ritual dynamics, demonstrating that these practices, incorporated into the films, resist marginalization and assert themselves as forms of emancipation and contestation. The methodology employed combines social semiotics, as outlined by Michael Halliday (1982) and further developed by Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress (1988), providing a critical framework for analyzing visual discourse. Additionally, Graeme Turner (1997) and Rick Iedema (2001) offer an analytical foundation for examining cultural practices and narratives in cinema. The findings indicate that Glauber Rocha does not merely offer a passive representation; on the contrary, he positions Black bodies as protagonists in a struggle that is simultaneously symbolic and political. The filmmaker’s revolutionary aesthetics transform cinema into a platform that challenges prevailing necropolitical forces, exposing Black bodies as insurgent subjects. The works of Clóvis Moura (1993, 1994, 2020a, 2020b), Kabengele Munanga (2019a, 2019b), Sueli Carneiro (2011), and José Jorge de Carvalho (1991, 1992, 1998, 2000) support this analysis by addressing the dialectics of Black bodies and the significance of history and Afro-Brazilian cultural expressions in constructing Afro-Brazilian identity. The thematic evolution in Glauber Rocha’s work is remarkable, with Barravento introducing Blackness as a space of resistance and contestation against structural oppression, while in A Idade da Terra, the filmmaker expands this discussion, reflecting on national identity and the search for a new historical consciousness. This thesis contributes to a critical reading that broadens the understanding of Black body representation in Brazilian cinema, positioning them as central elements of resistance and visual poetics. The analysis suggests that Black bodies are not merely figurative representations but vehicles of critique and transformation, shaping a narrative that directly confronts structures of power and marginalization. By articulating these representations, Glauber Rocha claims a new historical and social consciousness for national cinema, establishing a robust theoretical framework that underpins future investigations into cultural resistance and poetics in cinema.