“Quem conta um conto aumenta um ponto”: a representação da memória construída nos filmes “O Fio da memória” (1991) e “Jogo de cena” (2007)

Abstract

The central objective of this dissertation is to analyze how the representation of memory is constructed in the films O Fio da Memória (1991) and Jogo de Cena (2007), directed by Eduardo Coutinho. This dissertation articulates the discussion about the singularity of documentary cinema, its veracity in describing the subjects and the world around them in a non-fictional way and the use of cinema verité techniques by Eduardo Coutinho in Brazilian cinema. We intend to understand how this director, through aesthetic tools, provides social actors with the possibility of reconstructing their affective and social memories. In the documentary O Fio da Memória (1991), the characters reconstruct historical events such as the abolition of slavery, religion and samba. In Jogo de Cena (2007), we have a game of mirrors with the representation of women in modern society. The testimonials of suffering and joy of ordinary women, alternated with performances of the same texts performed by Brazilian actresses, challenge the very nature of documentary cinema, by mixing fiction and reality, masterfully exploring the issue of memory.