Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop

Vol. IX comparative cinema Fabio No. 16 2021 Camarneiro Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through 75-92 the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop

Writers Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop both lived in Brazil, although in very different circumstances. Their stories served as basis for two films: Maria Schrader’s Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe (Vor der Morgenröte, 2016), and Bruno Barreto’s Reaching for the Moon (Flores raras, 2013). This article aims to describe the differences between these two films, and how they can be connected to Brazilian authors such as Gilberto Freyre and Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, whose works attempt to understand Brazil’s social dynamics from the perspective of its violent colonial past. Furthermore, this article aims to question the connections between historical accuracy and political engagement, arguing that the general tone of a film narrative may sometimes be much more politically-oriented than the actual facts it portrays.

Date submitted: 15/09/2020 Date accepted: 09/04/2021 Keywords FILM BIOPICS STEFAN ZWEIG ELIZABETH BISHOP GERMAN CINEMA MARIA SCHRADER BRAZILIAN CINEMA BRUNO BARRETO BRAZILIAN SOCIETY TERRESTRIAL PARADISE

Fabio Camarneiro [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-1767-3610 Associate Professor at UFES (Federal University of Espírito Santo), Brazil. DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 76 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop encounters andappropriations (Marie national cinemas through transnational 2009) butalsoblurs thecontours of for example, inCocoBefore Channel, the international filmscene(asseen, feeds fantasies of national identityto reveals how, as Vidal putsit, biopic “the and theway thecountryisdepicted the mainaction takes placeinBrazil, notion of national identity. Inboth films, analyze Zweig andBishopthrough the 2005). However, ourgoal here isto Chinaski inFactotum(BentHamer, with Charles Bukowski’s alter-ego Hank 2003)—or becamealcoholic, aswe see (ChristineSylvia PlathJeffs, inSylvia The Hours(Stephen Daldry, 2002)or committed suicide—Virginia Woolf in with biopicsof other writers whoalso films could beanalyzed incomparison to thelives of famous writers. Both specific narrative traits, dedicated examples of aspecificsub-genre with Europe mid-1960s. moments of acoupd’état inBrazil inthe World War II, andBishop duringthefirst world around themsuffers: Zweig during claims thatsuffer artists whenthe obey amuch-repeated cliché that alcoholic. Inother words, thecharacters 22, 1942, andBishopto becomean Zweig to commitsuicide onFebruary respective problems would finally lead and thedifficultiesindealingwiththeir way they respond to external demands, depicted asnot veryinthe assertive Macedo Soares. These two writers are Bishop andBrazilian architect Lota de relationship between poet Elizabeth is focused onthetroublesome romantic Argentina, USA, andBrazil. The second Zweig took through theAmericas—in travels that Austrian novelist Stefan Bruno Barreto. The first narrates four for theMoon( 2016), by MariaSchrader, andReaching Farewell toEurope( films that portray writers: Stefan Zweig: It ispossible to identifyFarewell to analysesThis article two biopic and Reaching for theMoonas Flores raras, 2013), by Vor derMorgenröte, Coelho. song composed by Seixas, with lyrics by pare napista” isactually thenameof a Coelho’s to literary work,reference “Não from itsoriginaltitle: instead of some those aboutmusicians, which isevident film may alsobeconsidered among rock androll singer Raul Seixas, the But, sinceCoelhoserved aslyricist for Paulo Coelho, DanielAugusto, 2014). ( The Pilgrim: PauloCoelho’s Story Best recent Brazilian biopic: Paulo Coelhoin one other writer hasbeendepicted ina Bishop inReaching for theMoon, only [José Alvarenga Jr., 2018]). Besides Poyart, 2016], 10segundos para vencer [ Fonseca, 2012], Stronger Than theWorld figuressports (Heleno[JoséHenrique Brasil Waddington, 2018], Hebe: aestrelado Chacrinha: ovelho guerreiro [Andrucha o reidasmanhãs, DanielRezende, 2017], ( [Hugo Prata, 2016]), personalities TV 2013], jovens, Antonio Carlos daFontoura, musicians (We’reSo Young produced biopicsfocused mainly on of awriter. Inrecent years, thecountry aspects, andalsofor itsfocus onthe life because offor itsconcern transnational for theMoonstands asanexception are rare inBrazilian biopics. Reaching international co-productions, they aspects tend to bereinforced in travels of theAustrian writer inAmerica. (Austrian-German-French) filmaboutthe the Americanwriter, orintheEuropean in theBrazilian filmaboutthelife of and transnational can beseeneither that an interface between national country.It’s to alsoimportant notice between themythandactual characters to confront thedistance reveals itself inboth films, forcing the the mythof the paradise”“tropical 2013, 2−3). Asdiscussedbelow, Antoinette, 2006, for instance)” (Vidal Não parenapista: amelhorhistóriade Bingo: The King of theMornings[ Aldo: maisforte queomundo , Afonso Although thesetransnational [Maurício Farias, 2019]), andeven Tim Maia[Mauro Lima, 2014], Elis DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 [ Somos tão Bingo:

77 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop of atropical paradise isat thecore with themyths created from theidea than fifteen years. hand, Bishopstayed inBrazil for more Zweigs committed suicide. Ontheother the devastating events inEurope, the living inPetrópolis andunable to forget to know thecountry. After five months her wishto spendafew monthsgetting Bishop arrived of atSantos theport in just before theSecondWorld War, while escape theNazipersecution to Jews Zweig andhiswife, Lotte, managed to myth andtheactual reality of Brazil. learn thedifferences between the American Elizabeth Bishop—hadto Austrian Stefan Zweig andtheNorth 2000, 21). Terrestrial Paradise (Holanda[1959] descriptions: themedieval ideaof the to apossible commonoriginof such the continent, anddraws theattention written by thosewhofirst described descriptions appear inseveral texts highlights theway inwhich mythical Paradise), Sérgio Buarque deHolanda In thebookVisão doParaíso ( city full of riches andprecious stones. El Dorado, usually describedasalost among which themost recurrent is natural beauty andmineral resources, of legends andmyths basedonitsmany been recurrently interpreted by means Europeans, theAmericancontinenthas paradise.” are replaced by themythof a “tropical two films here, inwhich historical facts real events. This isthecasewith constructions of personae thanwith more mythsand familiar withcertain than accuracy, asaudiences might be recognition seemseven more important of recognition” (Vidal2013, 3). Infact, fictions, withthe attendant pleasures and audiences of biographical film generic contract between producers link to historical fact […]sealsthe The encounter of thesewriters century,In the20th two writers—the Since thetimeof itscolonization by As Vidal putsit, fundamental “the Vision of Vision of the actual facts itportrays. sometimes much more politicalthan the general tone of afilmnarrative is and politicalengagement, arguing that connection between historical accuracy alsoaimstothis article question the violent colonial past. Inwhat follows, identity from theperspective of its attempts to understand Brazil’s national Holanda andGilberto Freyre, intheir studies by authors such asBuarque de presence of aheritage of sociological of both films. Itisalsonotable the of theseepisodes. Instead, its narrative the hilly countryside of Riode Janeiro. specifically in Petrópolis, asmall town in later, they decidedto live inBrazil, more the oceanto theUnited States. Months options. Zweig andLotte sooncrossed fleeing was one of the few possible Europe becameincreasingly unbearable, arrested, orworse, deported. Ashislife in on Germany. and theUnited Kingdom declared war death, Poland was invaded by Germany September, 1939. Afew weeks after his move to London, where Freud diedin Stefan Zweig himself. Both decidedto country, includingSigmundFreud and At that time, many decidedto leave the increasingly tense, particularly for Jews. of how thesituation inAustria became chapters of thisbookare atestimony 2014, 330). Ontheother hand, some took (Zweig [1942] placeintheoutskirts the citycenter reflected thebattles that autobiography that almost nothing in social turmoil, hedescribedinhis Zweig was there duringthisevent of withafascistparty inclination. Although by the Vaterländische Front, apolitical of civilwar that endedwiththevictory Germany, Vienna witnessedfour days Zweig’s books were bannedinNazi the Americas Maria Schrader’s filmportrays none Therefore, Zweig ran theriskof being In February 1934, afew monthsafter Stefan Zweig between Europe and DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 78 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop of acoffin (Fig. 1). a highangle soas to suggest theshape Farewell toEurope, the camera isset at Emiliano DiCavalcanti. Furthermore, in film aboutthe funeral of thepainter Glauber placed insidecoffins, asshown inDi that, inBrazil, similarbouquets are also characters. to Itisimportant pointout omen of thetragic destiny of themain presence may alsobeinterpreted asan a cliché associated withthetropics, its of such flowers andtheircolors being the entire scene. Inaddition to theuse both theframing andthedynamicsof movie andserves asareference for bouquet isthevery first image of the colors. Inaclose-up frame, thissame flower arrangement exhibits itsvibrant At thecenter of thetable, alarge and display somelevel of sophistication. ceremony, details must beimpeccable Rio de Janeiro, in1936. Asinany official writer Stefan Zweig inhisfirst visit to ushered into themovie’s narrative. into theroom asthefilm’s audience are musical presentation gradually move of thosewhohave beenwatching the almost choreographic manner. Some doors of theroom openinarehearsed, Vasconcellos). After theapplause, the here withnew lyrics by Ru Paes de by Haroldo Lobo andWilsonBatista, the background (asongcalled “Emilia,” is accompaniedby a sambaplayed in white suits, andbow ties. The scene by people wearing formal uniforms, a large andrich table beingprepared that precedes these episodes. Itshows Petrópolis. 1940 inNew York; andfinally in1942, in in 1941theBrazilian state of Bahia; in Aires, Argentina. The others take place War, inaPENCongress held inBuenos three years before theSecondWorld the first episodetakes placein1936, one of them announcedby anintertitle: Zweig made through theAmericas, each has asitsfocus four different tripsthat The event isheld asanhomage to However, there prologue isashort (1977), Glauber Rocha’s short failed attempt to act like aforeigner play amisplacedBrazilian rhythm. This classical music, themusiciansactually shocks. Whentryingto play European of national identity” cancreate cultural This episodereveals how the “fantasies recognized Brazilian popularrhythm. accidentally transformed into themost played to pay homage to thewriter, is it soundlike samba. The Austrian piece, and slightly syncopated, which makes Johann Strauss II, isplayed outof tune mayor), “The BlueDanube” waltz, by is insistently mispronounced by the homage to the writer (whose last name to bebasedonpopularcomedy. In happens asitshould, allof which seem and embarrassment whennothing in hisattempt to make thingswork, and gestures, heexhibits restlessness andchubby,short withhasty moves typically comicalcharacter: quite team of amateurs. The mayor isa improvised at thelast minute by a it endsupassomething of amess, would beexpected to beimpeccable, different from thefirst. Although it This secondevent isinallaspects by themayor of asmalltown inBahia. the movie, whenthe couple isreceived also thecore of another sequencein their apparent disbelief intheirfuture. their constantly exhausted bodiesorby and Aenne Schwartz (Lotte), eitherby performances by Josef Hader(Zweig) of these aspects are present inthe seemed to headinto itinexorably. All to flee from death inEurope, they Even thoughthe Zweigs managed into English, Farewell toEurope. made evident initstitle translated melancholy andfarewells, which is to depict along funeral marked by the film. Therefore, thefilmseems official shown formalities throughout to attend thedifferent ceremonies and from thevery beginning, butstill had irony, asifthe Zweigs hadbeendead film andplaceitbetween and elegy The discomfort of thecharacters is Such details define the tone of the DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 79 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop (Maria Schrader, 2016). Fig. 1: The flower arrangement inFarewell toEurope DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 80 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop tie ashiswife tries to calmhim down, all thetime: the mayor adjusting his backstage spaces. Everything isvisible remains hidden. There are noprivate or off screen, inthis sequencenothing table sequencetheorchestra was spatial structure. While inthecoffin- us to perceive thismechanism inits 148). This sequenceof thefilmallows on emotions” (Holanda[1936] 1995, than that ruled by anethic based “any other form of sociabilityother the author, Brazilians didn’t know colonization by thePortuguese. For that dates back to itslong past of the publicandprivate spheres demonstrates theconfusion involving aspect of theBrazilian personality Raízes doBrasil ( de Holandainhisinfluentialbook different. According to Sérgio Buarque However, theissue may becompletely laidback” or, at least, as “extroverts.” by theirvisitors as “open, relaxed, Brazilians to beseenandunderstood families. Behaviors like thiscaused as ifthey were members of theirown “homemade desserts” to theguests is themomentat which they offer any official protocols. One example modus operandi that usually ignores to socialrelationships inBrazil, a of (false) intimacy that isvery common other hand, italsodemonstrates atype languages around theglobe. Onthe his books were publishedinseveral writer’s popularityinthe1930s, when who welcome Zweig highlights the emotion demonstrated by thewomen orrelevantas important persons. The treatment dedicated to thoseseen made visible, particularly by the other cultural aspects of Brazil are copying” canbenoticed. the clearer such “incompetence for the Brazilians fail insuch disguise, (Gomes [1973]2016, 190). “creative incompetence for copying” referred to astheBrazilian cinema’s reveals what Paulo EmilioSales Gomes In thesamesequence, some Roots of Brazil), this 1 The more The relatively humanitarianway” (Zweig else have slaves been treated inamore conclusions, that heaffirms “nowhere civilization.” Amongother exaggerated place, a “completely different typeof describes thecountry asanidyllic myth of thetropical paradise and Land of theFuture), herepeats the Ein Land der Zukunft ( wrote aboutthecountry. InBrasilien: that are related to thebook Zweig be evident isalsooneof thefeatures bodies untilthelast moment. the secondby not revealing thedead the musiciansplaying thesamba, in in it: inthefirst case by not showing scene andwhat caneffectively beseen concealment, between what isinthe relationship between visibilityand Moreover, they establish adistinct two sequencestake placeindoors. in theirbedroom inPetrópolis). These denouement (whenthey are found dead of theleading characters), andthe to ouranalysis, announcesthe death Europe: the prologue (which, according the last sequencesof Farewell to exceptions are precisely thefirst and (Holanda [1959]2000, 387). The only realize thedream of theAge of Gold” nor very hot,” where “humanity could “springtime weather, not very cold sadness, ordisease,” blessed with place […]that doesnot know pain, as atropical paradise, a “stereotyped trait echoes theideaof thecountry States, which are mostly indoors. This the tripsto Argentina andtheUnited not inthe sequenceswhich depict Brazil, filmedmostly outdoors, but are commoninthesequencesset in possible to notice that theopenspaces description of thisBrazilian practice. are, theclearer thefilmdemonstratesa false. The more uncomfortable they they canperceive this “intimacy” as close-ups of the Zweigs reveal that and hurry to prepare everything. The the musiciansthat arrive onatruck The incapacityto seewhat should Throughout theentire film, itis DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 Brazil: A 81 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop motive for theBrazilian government to of thecountry. This was anunderlying Indigenous people intheconstitution of theexistence of Black andnative attempt to diminish theimportance centuries of slavery, there hasbeenan (Miskolci 2012, 234). Hence, after meant more European and “whiter” their concept, “more civilized” also is, to make itmore “civilized.” In to “improve” Brazilian society, that intellectuals tended to imagineways Before Freyre’s work, most Brazilian cultures for thecountry’s identity. of theBlack andnative Indigenous in therevaluation of theimportance racial democracy played acentral role in Brazilian society, theconcept of be accusedof perpetuating racist ideas sources. Even thoughFreyre may now ideas may have comefrom secondary that Zweig’s knowledge of Freyre’s work (Dines2004, 417), which reveals 403), Zweig publicly praised Freyre’s Casa-Grande &Senzala(Dines2004, suspected that Zweig hadnot even read Zweig’s book. Although Freyre himself other works aboutBrazil, including that, back then, inspired many (currently seenasafallacious idea) the concept of “racial democracy” published in1933. Senzala and hisinfluentialbookCasa-Grande & marked by theworks of GilbertoFreyre then, Brazilian was sociology deeply was not unusualinthe1930s. Back the ideaof aless violent form of slavery ever agree withsuch ideas. However, all. Today, noseriousintellectual would condescending andoptimistic ideaof it structural racism of Brazil, orhadavery Zweig either could not perceive the from any andallracial prejudice. from hisperspective, they were free which Brazilians led theirlives, since, that he praised thepeaceful way in Nazi persecution, itisnot surprising someone that hadescapedfrom the [1941] 2013, 206). Obviously, being In hisbook, Freyre described ( ), The Mastersand theSlaves ), white landlords andBlack slaves are in which therelations between & Senzala. An idealized perspective, some of theideasfrom Casa-Grande to Zweig’s naïve illusionsof Brazil and far from realistic, andappear to relate and merry (Fig. 2). and ifhislooks could ever besohealthy been sotidyasto appear almost new, that, ifhisclothes and boots could have could have beenlike Bahia inthe1930s ourselves ifanemployee of afarm in Nevertheless, we are led to ask is almost always anaïve exaggeration. perfect historical accuracy from afilm children, among other topics. Expecting intimacy, asks herquestions about and, inanother attempt to demonstrate establishing aconversation withLotte With asmile onhisface, heinsists on the employee of thesugarcane farm. way. The most obvious example may be to assist withwhatever comestheir the filmare always gentle andwilling Brazilian socialrelationships. to perceive any traits of violence in approach inthefilm, for itsincapacity perspective, we canalsoseethat to Europeismarked by thewriter’s book. Asthenarrative of Farewell vision Zweig reproduces inhisown “romantic” visionof slavery, thesame Freyre didnot manage to abandona Despite of such theimportance work, construction of anational identity. Amerindian heritages involved inthe for therecognition of theAfrican and served pointthat as aturning allowed Freyre’s for work isimportant having regions of thecountry. Inthiscontext, migrated to theSouthandSoutheast of Italians andGermans, mostly, that conflict. Therefore, large numbers people from thecountriesdefeated in War, andafter it, Brazil received many signed in1888. DuringtheFirst World abolition of slavery inthe country, mostly poorpeople, after thelegal incentive theimmigration of Europeans, In The few Afro-Brazilians depicted in Farewell toEurope, theimages are DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 82 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop (Maria Schrader, 2016). Fig. 2: The employee of thefarm inFarewell toEurope DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 83 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop after, in a faux pas, themayor endshis Brazil isthecountryof thefuture.” Soon says that “Europe hasarich past, but dialogue withthemayor, thewriter in asupposed tropical paradise. In his though hewas far from thewar, living for Zweig to remain alive—even losing hishomelandmadeitimpossible actually exist, themovie suggests that Brazil imaginedby thewriter doesnot demonstrating that theidealized of Zweig’s suicide. Instead of to Europeisbuiltaround thetoken by the Zweigs’ death. inverted image. Asymmetry disturbed negative; anidealized countryand its at thesametime: thepositive andthe peace inside. Two countriestogether amateur musicians, war outsideand rich andpoor, European culture and a simple seriesof binaryoppositions: tropical paradise cliché, butalsofrom complex country, which isfar from the close to thereality of avery mixed and racial orsocialissues. None of that is that life inBrazil seemsto befree from and friendly to theforeign couple; or that everyone doesitsbest to benice sequences have abright sunny light; or including thefact that alloutdoor of “fantasies of national identity,” many stereotypes related to theidea film madeoutside of Brazil, it reflects and inSão Tomé andPríncipe. Asa not filmed inBrazil, butin Portugal notice that Farewell toEuropewas about thecountry. to Itisimportant perceptions itsmaincharacters have film further reinforce thedistorted the slightly fanciful aspects of the since theninthoselarge farms. Brazil, andvery few thingshadchanged decree that abolished theslavery in Freyre waseight born years after the his family inthestate of Pernambuco. own childhood inalarge farmowned by author’s memoryof episodesof his marks Freyre’s book, maybe dueto the depicted withnostalgic tones, also In fact, thestructure of Farewell Following Freyre’s impressions, paradise. of Brazil asthemyth of atropical at thesame time, thesurvival confirms announced death of thecharacter, and Once again, thisdemonstrates the the manwithoutanation doesnot. is that the countryhasafuture, but nation has nofuture.” The conclusion speech stating that “a manwithouta d’état her reaction to thecivil-military coup opinions. Itparticularlyemphasized more deeply related to Bishop’s political foreign readers. as shemadeitmore accessible to work indisseminating Brazilian poetry, took into accountBishop’s important selection of thenameto behonored and João Cabral deMelo Neto. FLIP’s such asCarlos Drummond deAndrade dissemination of theworks of writers played acrucial role intheworldwide fifteen years, andthat hertranslations Bishop hadlived inBrazil for almost to theunawareness of thefact that author. Such criticismwas mostly due choice of Bishopinlieuof aBrazilian negative reactions questioned the festival honoree. Soonafter, several would includeaforeign writer asthe FLIP) announcedthat its2020edition Literária Internacional deParaty,” or of Paraty (inPortuguese, “Festa Brazil, theInternational BookFair events dedicated to literature in years asoneof themost important Elizabeth Bishop. After eighteen controversy involving thenameof scene inBrazil was seized by a suspension of rights, dismissinglots of outside than itdoesfrom here. […] The junta probably looks much worse from the poet Robert Lowell: “The military coup, shewrote to herclose friend, with it. Less thantwo weeks after the Bishop suggested that sheagreed of dictatorship inBrazil. Inherletters, Also, someof that criticismwas By the end of 2019, thecultural Paradise is(not) here

in 1964, which led to 21years DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 84 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop By theendof themonth, FLIP’s lead several themesof Bishop’s works. series of round table events to discuss In August, the festival organized a of FLIP, first planned to be held in July. the postponement of the2020edition imagined that Covid-19 would impose at least, oreven unacceptable. the selection of Bishopasinappropriate, 2020). Insuch acontext, many viewed corruption” (Machado andCarvalho ideological radicalization, strikes, and streets against acountrymarked by democratic institutions, went to the with thenational wishto preserve our us, millionsof Brazilians, identified the shadow of communismmenaced the 1964coupd’état asfollows: “When Independence Day, Bolsonaro described television broadcast celebrating Brazil’s In September 2020, duringaradio and Brazil from thedangers of communism. that, inhiswords, would have saved toopportunity praise the “movement” far-right politician—didnot missany president of Brazil—Jair Bolsonaro, a Lusa 2019). Particularly whenthevery tolerant to thecoupd’état (Agência homage to someonethat hadbeenso others—deemed itimpossible to pay writer Alexandra LucasCoelho, among Fortuna, Portuguese journalistand Secchin, poet anddiplomat Felipe poet and essayist Antônio Carlos a significantnumber of intellectuals— Brazilian politics” (Przybycien 2015, 39). hat and Lacerda isthewhite hat in communists andpopulists are theblack had “a Manichean visionof Brazil, where of thepoet’s letters, that affirms Bishop coup. Regina Przybycien, inheranalysis João Goulart, andanenthusiast of the wing politician, adetractor of president close friend of Carlos Lacerda, aright- (and, therefore, Bishopherself) was a Lotathat her partner deMacedoSoares 2010, 530). to Itisimportant pointout as itmay sound” (BishopandLowell Congress, etc.—had to bedone, sinister Amid thedebates, noonecould have When FLIP announced itsselection, the construction of one of the most architect whowas responsible for reference for Bruno Barreto’s film. (1995), which alsoserved asabaseline Macedo Soares), by L. Carmen Oliveira Story of and Lota ElizabethBishop de ( Macedo SoareseElizabethBishop banalíssimas: ahistóriadeLota de in detail inthebookFloresraras e with Lota deMacedoSoares, described long stay inBrazil was herrelationship that themainmotivation for Bishop’s her plans. Above all, itseemsevident (Bishop 2014, 226). The illnesschanged by theendof thefollowing January was planningto leave Riode Janeiro days before falling ill, Bishopsaidshe the country. Inaletter written afew cashew—saw herextend hertimein triggered by theingestion of asliceof 1951 dueto anallergic reaction as herhospitalization inDecember so long, butaseriesof incidents—such have imaginedthat herstay would be Bishop arrived inBrazil, shecould not lived between 1951and1965. When relations withthecountrywhere she American poet hadcontradictory than Zweig’s extreme optimism, the discussed asithadnever beenbefore. between BishopandBrazil was periodinwhich therelationshipshort to thecontroversy, butalsoto the early December. This fact putanend finally presented online for 3days in officially cancelled. FLIP 2020 was the homage to theAmerican poet was few days after Diamant’s resignation, curator” (Folha deSão Paulo 2020). A festival “needed ablack woman as and haslost itssense,” andthat the seemed to belong to another time, celebration previously“the designed declared that, dueto thepandemic, responding to thedebate itself. She to have chosen Bishop, butwithout explaining onceagainthereasons curator Fernanda Diamantresigned, Rare and CommonplaceFlowers: The Macedo Soares was aBrazilian Also, thisindicates that, rather DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 85 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop friends, inwhich shecriticized thefinal Bishop insistently sent letters to her so asto fitintheTime-Life texts, both intheircontents andstyle, to theseveral changes madeto her whole life. The reason for such was due she kept thisstance throughout her published, theauthor disdained it, and the bookthat way. Assoon asitwas although Bishopnever thought of for itsLife World Library collection, Time-Life Magazineasatravel guide der Zukunft. less ambitiousthanBrasilien: EinLand about heradoptive country, although everyone isblack. American woman askingfor cachaça, in thebotequim, except for theelegant black employees. Ontheother hand, spaces seeninthefilm, except for the Everyone iswhite intheupper-class Here, theracial issueisalsoevident. “your best cachaça” (adistilled spirit). the botequim, sheorders three shots of and MacedoSoares usedto frequent. At from theupper-class spacesBishop as abotequim—aplacequite different entering atypicalBrazilian bar—known sequence, sheisseenlate at night and heraddiction to alcohol. Inabrief struggling withheremotional fragility depicted inthefilm, Bishop was always she seemsto lack resolve. Actually, as sophisticated education, inthefilm Even thoughshealso hadasolidand Otto) isdescribedalittle differently. European education. of astrong self-assurance withasolid woman, whodemonstrated thefusion fact, shewas awealthy, sophisticated blue-collar workers onequalground. In capable of talkingwithpoliticiansor strong, determined, resourceful woman usually referred to, isdepicted asa Pires), or “Dona Lota,” asshewas for theMoon, MacedoSoares (Glória Flamengo” inPortuguese). InReaching Janeiro: theFlamengo Park (“Aterro do greenimportant areas inRiode Like Zweig, shealsowrote abook On theother hand, Bishop(Miranda Brazil was ordered by standards. for theirstory. personalities, but itisjust abackground as anexpression of thecharacters’ landscape of Ouro Preto isnot used Bishop have anargument. So, the a sequenceinwhich DonaLota and Instead, thefilmusesthat sceneryin center in1965(Przybycien 2015, 25). led herto buyahouseinitshistoric fascination withthearchitecture that but doesnot explore thepoet’s bottom), inthestate of MinasGerais, the colonial cityof Ouro Preto (Fig. 3, book. For instance, thefilmshows Time-Life different to that usedby theeditors of to understand; anapproach not very are madesimpler, easierfor foreigners is theway inwhich cultural aspects filmmaker, one of its characteristics produced anddirected by aBrazilian fact that Reaching for theMoonwas by itstarget audience. Inspite of the an image that canbeeasily identified of cliché of theBrazilian modernism, that thefilmintended to create atype Ceschiatti andMacedoSoares suggests Ceschiatti, (Fig. 3, amodernistartist top). sculpture inthegarden by Alfredo designed by OscarNiemeyer, witha action inanother houseinPetrópolis, the actual house. Instead, itsets the Reaching for theMoondoesnot show architect Sérgio Bernardes. However, type of fern), was designedby Brazilian “Samambaia” (namedafter alocal where Zweig lived. This house, called house inPetrópolis, thevery sametown in Riode Janeiro, andthecountryside estates: by anapartment Leme beach, was split between two of DonaLota’s passions, andtherest of hertime the country. toopportunity take a closer look into territory andprovided herwiththe considerable of theBrazilian part tothe opportunity travel through a that very ordered jobalsogave her results (Przybycien 2015, 48). However, The choice to connect Niemeyer, Travelling was oneof Bishop’s when itcomesto Bishop’s DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 86 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop Moon (Bruno Barreto, 2003). Bottom: The architecture of Ouro Preto inReaching for the (Bruno Barreto, 2013). Top: The modernist sculpture inReaching for theMoon Fig. 3. DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 87 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop Freyre’s ideas aboutracial democracy, interview, shealso repeated Gilberto much better than Zweig did. But, inan understood Brazil very well, at least Brazil thanthereal Bishopdid. She with thesocialissuesof concerned Elizabeth Bishopbecomeseven more in herletters. one that thehistorical Bishopadopted Brazil, inaposition very distant from the aboutthepoliticalsituationconcerns in Bishop publicly demonstrates her Soares have anargument because is highlighted whensheandMacedo highest democratic standards. This Bishop asthechampion of America’s Brazil isnow very clear, thefilmdepicts and anti-democratic coupd’état in government’s of support themilitary historical truth: althoughtheAmerican the Moonchooses legend instead of being aBrazilian film, Reaching for to watching Americanfilms. Even a familiar cliché for audiences used American champion of democracy, Therefore, Bishop hadto be madethe soon stop empathizing withthem. film ispresumably addressed might the left-wing audiences to which the themilitarycoupd’état,as supporting Brazil, ifboth women were presented commercial, calculated perspective. In least inBrazil, itisreasonable from a change may bequestionable but, at as athreat to democracy. Such a d’état at all, which sheunderstands does not condonethemilitarycoup real Bishop, thecharacter inthemovie to pointoutthat, incontrast to the president João Goulart. Itisimportant time, thenews mediareportthefall of on asunny day while, at thesame people playing soccer onthebeach of thelatter, thefilmshows indifferent matters inthecountry. Asanexample and thegeneral indifference to political aware of thesevere socialinequality regarded by all, Bishopsoonbecame by elite theartistic of Brazil andwell- Therefore, thefictional character of Even thoughshewas surrounded buys achild from apoorfamily. When her to Lota. In fact, DonaLota simply before and was the onewhointroduced of Elizabeth whohadarrived inBrazil Morse (Tracy Middenmorse), afriend the wishof herformer partner, Mary “adopt” achild inanattempt to satisfy evident whenDonaLota decidesto between socialclassesbecomes precarious conditions. This distance of enslaved Black people live invery other, thechildren andgrandchildren children to study inEurope, andonthe hand, theelite canafford to sendtheir way; acountryinwhich, ontheone while they cannot treat herthesame workers “head-to-head,”blue-collar country inwhich DonaLota cantreat marked by numerous inequalities: a but withaviolent past andapresent a countrywithpromising future, who, incontrast to Zweig, doesn’t see politicians, Americanpoet andaNorth lesbian woman, related to right-wing characters are anartist, architect, and to Brazil thanFarewell toEurope. Its somewhat more complex initsapproach historical references, thefilmis narrative, andinaccuracies inits her relationship withBishop. character inthefilm, the other being main dramatic plots involving her Park, which constitutes oneof the started theconstruction of Flamengo Lacerda’s government, MacedoSoares that took power withhishelp. During rights were revoked by thevery regime twists in thegovernment. Hispolitical was later avictim of theunpredictable of thecivil-military coupd’état and Lacerda was anenthusiastic supporter the governor of theState of Guanabara. recalls herrelationship withLacerda, rebuked by MacedoSoares asshe the militaryforces andisimmediately poet makes aclear speech against from thefilm, ina formal event, the issues (Monteiro 2013, 38). Inascene learn from Brazil whenitcameto racial and stated that theUSA hadalot to In spite of its somewhat romanticized In spite of itssomewhat romanticized DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 88 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop had to flee from Germany to escape Then, thenames of several authors that Jews andother opposers of theregime. persecution by NaziGermany against harsh openingspeech that denounces becomes uncomfortable again, withthe other momentsinthemovie), Zweig opening of thecongress (asinmany fromart politics. Later, duringthe with nosuccess. Heprefers to separate striking declaration from thewriter, journalists insist onobtaining amore true homeland.” Inaninterview, some language would be, ashesays, “his Germany, culture ashisGerman and to feel uncomfortable criticizing a conciliatory approach. Heclaims insist ondodgingthesubject orusing not to respond promptly. Heseemsto to stand against Hitler. Zweig chooses interviews have only onetheme: how when private conversations andpublic one sequenceof Farewell toEurope, is madeduringthePENcongress in question aboutthesituation inEurope could they doto fight them? Asimilar of theyears of slavery. Butwhat problems of Brazil andtheheritage two writers that experienced thesocial abolition of slavery. though very little hadchanged sincethe people willingto pay for them; itisas be negotiated aslong asthere are as afallacy, sincesomelives canstill idea of a racial democracy isexposed doing thepoormother afavor. Here, the is that, by buyingthechild, they are or to someoneelse. Their conclusion the child would besold anyway, to them Macedo Soares andthemaidargue that be bought orsold asagood. Butboth not seem right to herthat achild can tothe opportunity raise achild, itdoes mixed feelings: even thoughshewants reverse shots of Mary’s face reveal her that is not even masked inBrazil. The scene emphasizes anaggressiveness seen from Mary’s perspective, this The filmsanalyzed here present The role of theintellectual world around them, ormay simply refer prevent writers from understanding the windows here may recall the mythsthat the outsideat thesametime. The glass reflects their faces and reveals windows (Fig. 4). Inboth scenes, the films, both of themappear behindglass through distorted lenses. Inthetwo possible—except indeath. was to ignore that such escapeisnot time inhistory. However, hismistake Europe, aswell asto escapehisown literature andescapetheviolence in it would bepossible to find refuge in dedicated to writing. Heimaginedthat to Brazil andsimply anew start life Zweig believed that hecould move of thereal world. Basedontheseideas, another mythof art’s autonomy inface was amyth, thetropical paradise inside Brasilien: EinLand der Zukunft, Brazil in actions similarto thoseof Stefan Zweig debates. Inshort, could noartist take life, current politicalissues, orpublic herself from apart thedynamicsof real that canimaginehimor noartist commodity. Hence, Benjaminbelieves as thoseof any other contemporary on thesameconditionsof production aware that, for to art exist, itdepends the world into consideration, andbe should always take theirsituation in economic contexts. Therefore, artists detached from itssocial, political, or 1969, 242)of politics. cannot exist Art the “rendering aesthetic” (Benjamin Fascism andwhat he referred to as politicization to of thearts combat peer, Benjamindefended theconstant in contrast to thoseof hisAustrian France. Inhiswritingsfrom the1930s, while trying to flee from occupied committed suicideinSeptember, 1940, list isthat of Walter Benjamin. perhaps themost notable nameinthis names includeStefan Zweig, but persecution are read outloud. These Farewell toEurope. Zweig andBishoplooked at Brazil In thissense, for theauthor of philosopherThe German also DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 89 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop in Farewell toEurope(MariaSchrader, 2016). Bottom: Stefan Zweig (Josef Hader)looks through theglass glass inReaching for theMoon(Bruno Barreto, 2013). Top: Elizabeth Bishop(Miranda Otto) looks through the Fig. 4. DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 90 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop in reality, but only inthe mindand describes aBrazil that doesnot exist with itscharacters, Schrader’s film understood Brazil. More coherent coherent withtheway Zweig himself manner, closer to reality andmore film is, perhapsinaparadoxical aspect the artificial ofMariaSchrader’s to Bishop’s historical role. Inthissense, build afalse character whenitcomes However, Bruno Barreto’s filmneeds to not mentionedinFarewell toEurope. violence isdepicted inaway that is disappearance. its lushnature, now runs theriskof ideas of themythof atropical paradise, flood lands of Pantanal. One of thecore deforestation intheAmazon andinthe issues hasled to striking records of policy to dealwithenvironmental Moreover, theabsenceof aneffective LGBTQI+ people, amongothers. given to native Indigenous populations, and highlight theviolent treatment Bolsonaro seemsto, onceagain, reveal country. Now, thegovernment of Jair M. who managed to survive to leave the regime, which caused many of those and assassination of thoseagainst the dictatorship witnessedthepersecution Starling 2015, 152). The years of military in theUnited States (Schwarcz and shorter thanthat of anenslaved person in Brazil was approximately 10years average lifespan of aenslaved person today century, that, inthe16th the a “more human” treatment, itisknown and extremely violent country. Instead of a tropical paradise liesanauthoritarian by Zweig andBishop). Underthemythof Gilberto Freyre (andechoed intheworks from theracial democracy imaginedby attention to theirunavoidable existence. such windows, butto bringtheir goal was not to causeto artists break with theirhistorical times. Benjamin’s try to puttheirinnerlives incontact to literature itself andtheway writers In Brazil hasalways beenvery far Reaching for theMoon, thesocial towards thefuture. exhaustion of the Zweigs, heading energy could emerge from the governments. Itisasifanew political contemporary: therise of authoritarian kind of discontentment that isvery to Europeseems gesture toward a than Reaching fot theMoon, Farewell a work of art. Although less “realistic” how fact andfiction may intertwine in “truth,” butasubtler understanding of was not defending anabstract ideaof “rendering aesthetic” of politics, he does. When Benjaminclaimedfor the to benecessarily truthful, butpolitics national fantasies. doesnot have Art articulate historical evidence and how thebiopics’ narratives can fiction. That helpsus to understand are usually madeupof both fact and The fantasies of national identity in theformation of anational imagery. understand that both are important be mistaken, butitiscrucial to future dependsonboth. myths. However, asinany narrative, the real events, while somecorresponds to way. Someof thisdebriscorresponds to debris that history leaves along the are heading, we canonly collect the 257−8). Hence, unaware of where we back onthe past (Benjamin, 1969, the future while ourmindsare focused history isastorm that pushesusinto to return to Walter Benjamin, for whom misconceptions, itwould benecessary by Zweig. Inorder to escapeboth another typeof truth believed uniquely of itscharacter andseemscloser to to thefantasies of national identity Farewell toEuropeisabsolutely faithful attempt to reach a “real” conclusion, Moon writings of Stefan Zweig. Fact andfiction must not Ultimately, while Reaching for the distorts historical facts inan DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 91 Vol. IX Article comparative cinema No. 16 FABIO CAMARNEIRO 2021 Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop Companhia das Letras. .Elizabeth Bishop Belo Horizonte: Ed. UFMG. .Macedo SoareseElizabeth Bishop Riode Janeiro: Rocco. Autêntica. Brasil definsdo XIX. São Paulo: Annablume; Fapesp. golpe-de-1964.shtml [accessed June 13, 2021] pronunciamento-na-tv-bolsonaro-diz-defender-democracia-mas-celebra- 7 September 2020, A6. https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2020/09/em- diz defender democracia, masvolta acelebrar golpe de1964.” Folha deS. Paulo, edênicos nodescobrimentoecolonização doBrasil. São Paulo: Publifolha. Companhia dasLetras. subdesenvolvimento.” InUmasituação colonial? São Paulo: CompanhiadasLetras. brasileira sobregimedaeconomiapatriarcal. São Paulo: Global. sugere-uma-negra-para-o-cargo.shtml [accessed June 13, 2021] folha.uol.com.br/ilustrada/2020/08/flip-anuncia-demissao-de-curadora-que- mulher negra ocupecargo.” Folha deS. Paulo, 12 August 2020. https://www1. Janeiro: Rocco. Travisano. New York: Farrar, Straus andGiroux. Correspondence betweenand Robert ElizabethBishop Lowell. Edited by Thomas Giroux. New York: Farrar, Straus andGiroux. Schocken Books. como-autora-homenageada-da-flip-2020/ [accessed June 13, 2021] observador.pt/2019/11/26/escritores-contestam-escolha-de-elizabeth-bishop- autora homenageada daFLIP 2020.” Observador, 26November 2019. https:// References 1/ All translations from Portuguese are mine. Schwarcz, Lilia, andHeloisa Starling. 2015. Brasil: umabiografia . São Paulo: Przybycien, Regina. 2015. Feijão-preto ediamantes: oBrasil naobra de Oliveira, L. Carmen 1995. Floresraras ebanalíssimas: ahistóriadeLota de Monteiro, George. org. 2013. Conversas. comElizabethBishop Belo Horizonte: Miskolci, Richard. 2012. Odesejodanação: masculinidadeebranquitude no Machado, Renato, andDanielCarvalho. “Em pronunciamento na TV, Bolsonaro Holanda, Sérgio Buarque de. (1959)2000. Visão doParaíso: osmotivos Holanda, Sérgio Buarque de. (1936)1995. Raízes doBrasil. São Paulo: Gomes, Paulo EmilioSales. (1973)2016. “Cinema: trajetória no Freyre, Gilberto. (1933)2003. CasaGrande &Senzala: formação dafamília Folha deSão Paulo. 2020. “Curadora daFlippededemissão esugere que Dines, Alberto. 2004. MortenoParaíso: atragédia deStefan Zweig. Riode Bishop, Elizabeth, andRobert Lowell. 2010. Words inAir: The Complete Bishop, Elizabeth. 2014. OneArt: Letters. Selected andedited by Robert Benjamin, Walter. 1969. Illuminations. Agência Lusa. 2019. “Escritores contestam escolhadeElizabeth Bishopcomo Translated by Harry Zohn. New York: DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 Vidal, Belén. 2013. “Introduction: The Biopic and its Critical Contexts.” In The Biopic in Contemporary Film Culture, edited by Tom Brown and Belén Vidal, 1–32. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203384572 Zweig, Stefan. (1941) 2013. Brasil: um país do futuro. Translated by Kristina Michahelles. Porto Alegre: L&PM. Zweig, Stefan. (1942) 2014. Autobiografia: o mundo de ontem — memórias de um europeu. Translated by Kristina Michahelles. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar. comparative cinema comparative

How to reference Camarneiro, Fabio. 2021. “Tropical Purgatory: Brazil Article CAMARNEIRO FABIO of the Lenses Through Brazil Purgatory: Tropical Bishop and Elizabeth Zweig Stefan Through the Lenses of Stefan Zweig and Elizabeth Bishop.” Compara- tive Cinema, Vol. IX, No. 16, pp. 75-92. DOI: 10.31009/cc.2021.v9.i16.05 2021 Vol. IX IX Vol. No. 16 No.