What's to say about this short documentary that wasn't already covered in the classics "ABC da Greve" or "Braços Cruzados, Máquinas
Paradas"? Very little but I'll try. This one covers auto-workers movements and their demonstration of May 1st (labor day) of 1979, when union
leaders and workers gathered on stadiums and sqaures to demand better working conditions, better payments and a dialogue with bosses, and the
massive event was bigger than the one promoted by the military government/establishment. It marked as the beginning of syndicates protests
on the final years of the dictatorship and early days of the political opening, started for good in 1985 with the return of democracy in Brazil; the first strikes ever since 1968 when those kind of acts were forbidden by political/military authorities.
We follow peaceful demonstrations, the union leaders and their negotiations with the bosses and their demands - this one covers some areas
that the other documentaries didn't follow much, like the public transportations strike in São Paulo around that time. Politicians from MDB (the
opposition party) who showed support to the workers are presented - most of them would later found PT (Workers Party) and other parties from center,
left and right, which became the political basis that we know ever since 1980, with slight changes and transitions. Thanks to those demonstration
that the foundations of workers rights moved on to greater important causes, though many strikes and protests end up becoming the center stage
for violent acts from police authorities and angry protesters.
It's an interesting, important and informative document but it didn't appeal all that greatly with me due to its lack of context on certain
parts, it felt rushed and confusing due to its lack of coherent and linear narrative. It's quite jumpy while presents its facts and the difference
of each strike conducted, either on ABC (major area near São Paulo capital) or the ones from São Paulo itself. As an historical register, it's
something to be seen and researched. Not of João Batista de Andrade's best docs but it's quite good. 6/10.
