Anthropological, psychological and political documentary about the gold rush in Serra Pelada during military dictatorship and the following developments and changes in prospecting life during Collor neo-liberal government and in the first decade of XXIst century. There is an amazing footage (from the past and from nowadays) and quite interesting testimonies, often nearly unbelievable, ranging from hilarious to hideous (among the latter, I may highlight both Sebastião Curió and former president of hateful Vale do Rio Doce Eliezer Batista). Curió is a core character in this story, due his role in the management of the mine (with torture and military discipline included), his relations with dictator Figueiredo, and his political and economic movements after the end of dictatorship, including becoming mayor of the then recently founded town of Curionópolis (he has been afterwards condemned by vote buying and corruption). Raimunda Conceição, a woman who has been a prospector, also gives some of the most interesting interviews on what happened those times, besides one of the most hilarious moments in the film. His husband, Índio, was the first and most times shown interviewee in the film, and indeed he fits the insertion of several elements addressed throughout the documentary. Union activist Etevaldo Arantes shows himself as a very qualified analyst, who helps us a lot to understand the core issues related to Serra Pelada. While in the beginning spectator listens a fragment of a propaganda video telling that there was no crime and no conflict in Serra Pelada despite all that gold and money, in the rest of the documentary we watch scenes or listen stories about several situations of extreme violence, either between prospector or against them by the army, by hired gunslingers, by military police, and so far. This is a well made and important documentary, that provides rich elements for thinking about capitalism, life goals, Brazilian history, hope, frustration, and the destruction of nature for shallow greed.
