Língua - Vidas em Português

Don't be scared with the low rating I'm giving to this documentary. Why would anyone disapprove a insightful documentary that works with many relevant social aspects, presenting cultures who are connected by the same language, one would think. But no. This is really weak. "Língua - Vidas em Português" ("Language - Lives in Portuguese") is surely something to be seen specially for those who love the Portuguese as a language (it's my mother language but I don't nourish any love for it, and neither does most foreign people who find it one of the most difficult languages to learn) but its presentation ruins all the good elements present in it.

I watched this in a class and I can tell you how bored everyone was, and moments later we all pretended to have enjoyed it, providing everything the teacher wanted to hear, and to be fair we paid a lot of attention. Some fell asleep (myself included) in some parts. Anyway, to call it a bad film because it's boring isn't enough. There's more to it.

Here's the movie: it's all about traveling around the countries whose language is the Portuguese and how each country views their language, their cultures, seeking some sort of proximity not only because they speak Portuguese but also in their way of living, their costumes and how the Portuguese interfere in those aspects. It's spread all over the world: Brazil, Portugal, Cabo Verde, Moçambique, Angola, Macau and in some parts of India (I forgot the name of the city where Portuguese is mixed with English, Arabic and more languages). And we visit some of those places with important cultural figures like singer Martinho da Vila, writers José Saramago, João Ubaldo Ribeiro and Mia Couto (each representing one country) and we also have the thoughts of regular people like the former criminal who now sells candies in Rio de Janeiro; or the young African who lives on a abandoned hotel, and whose dreams is to live in the United States because there things are easier.

The problem of this documentary is its presentation. The directors keeps spinning from place to place instead of just showing one country and then another, this material edited didn't work, is just tiring, with no appeal even with great testimonies and stories about the language. I know this is all about the cultures of nations that speaks Portuguese, it's about showing costumes, traditions and religions and I do respect that but in this film they could avoid showing the goat's killing in one of the African countries. It only worked to wake up those who were sleeping in the audience.

Those who have interest in the Portuguese language will find this somewhat informative and all, but I wouldn't and can't recommend it. A library search about the subject will provide you with so much more. 2/10