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‘Apocalypse in the Tropics’ Review: Petra Costa Offers a Sobering Look at the Evangelical Age of Brazilian Politics


Five years after her Oscar-nominated 'The Edge of Democracy,' Petra Costa takes stock of the far-right Bolsonaro era in 'Apocalypse in the Tropics.'

“Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest,” says Petra Costa, pointedly borrowing from the Book of Luke, midway through her compellingly impassioned new documentary “ Apocalypse in the Tropics,” which rakes with a heavy heart through the recent past while casting an anxious eye to the future. A festival hit that nabbed a high-profile Netflix release and an eventual Oscar nomination, “The Edge of Democracy” laid the groundwork for this follow-up — premiering out of competition at Venice, with Brad Pitt among its bevy of exec-producers —to similarly connect with audiences. Malafaia is an undeniably magnetic figure, even as he skates on the edge of outright hate speech in his surprisingly generous interviews with Costa, arguing for ultra-conservative Christian principles (including zero tolerance on homosexuality and abortion) as the actionable will of the Brazilian majority.

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