Elucidative and quite personal, "O Evangelho Segundo Teotônio" ("The Gospel According to Teotônio") follows Brazilian Senator Teotônio Vilela, who presents a summary of his life, a simple life before turning into politics, where he found his place as a great conciliator and great mind, and one of the strongest fighters for the restoration of democracy during Brazil's military regime (1964-1985). An important cause but one that took his energy and life, dying of cancer in 1984. Vilela was one of the founders of MDB, later PMDB, the only political party to make opposition with the military, represented by the ARENA; and his legacy was what propelled the party's importance after the regime was over - the first democratic president after that (though not elected by the people but by a electoral college) was from PMDB.
He was such a charismatic, humored, intelligent and of quick wit, a character so interesting, that it's a pity that we don't have anyone similar in Brazilian politics. He understood the political machine, worked towards its favor, and sometimes, contradict-ally, also provided for those who elected him, his people in Alagoas. Extremely humble, he never forgot his old friends and acquaintances - as evidenced with his visit to his hometown easily chatting with his buddies. While lovely to see, this part staggered the documentary, at times confusing in telling us who's who.
Most of the Vilela's life is told by the man himself, while the other half of the movie follows him in meetings with his party, trying to find solutions to calm down the works during the tense days of ABC's steel workers strike (moment covered in detail in Hirszman's "ABC Da Greve"); and his last battles for the Diretas Já movement, when he was already very sick (but always spirituous and hard working as leader of the party). This half is more interesting than the first due to its journalistic format, with a narrator briefly explaining what's on the screen rather than let Teotônio speak his mind, rambling at times.
Erratic but insightful, this documentary delivers a fine portrait of a brilliant political personality, someone who fought with tenacity for a free nation and all I can say is that he'd be ashamed of what his party is today. They walked away from his legacy and that's a shame. 7/10
