In 1945, in Garanhuns, in the countryside of Pernambuco, Luiz Inácio da Silva is born, seventh children of Aristides (Milhem Cortaz) and Dona Lindu (Glória Pires). Aristides moves to Santos and Lindu raises the siblings alone until 1952 when the family moves to Santos to meet the patriarch. Along the years, the poor family struggles to survive with the children studying the elementary school and working as street vendors. Later Lindu leaves the alcoholic and abusive Aristides and moves with her children to São Paulo. Lula graduates as lathe operator and gets a formal job in the industry where he loses one finger in a press. He joins the union; is elected president of the Union of São Bernardo do Campo and Diadema; organizes strikes in the period of dictatorship in Brazil; and is arrested in jail for one month.
"Lula, o Filho do Brazil" presents highlights until 1980 of the life of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the most popular President of Brazil. I had great expectations with this film since I voted in Lula the five times he ran for president; however, this movie is a great deception. The admirable ascension of a poor boy from a dysfunctional family to the most important position in a country is something fantastic; unfortunately the screenplay is shallow and corny and the direction is weak. I have lived all those moments of repression and Lula was a leader without ideology, therefore tolerated by the military government. His party promoted Ethics in politics as one of the strongest supports to the election of Lula in 2003 and in the end it was a great disappointment to the electors. But the movie is limited to the humanistic side of Lula and politics is slightly approached in the end. This movie clearly explains the humanistic side of Lula that keeps a governmental program to support families below the poverty threshold despite the critics of part of the elites. "Entreatos" from João Moreira Salles and "Peões" from Eduardo Coutinho are documentaries that follow Lula in the Union and explain the reason of his success in his political career. Glória Pires is presently one of the best Brazilian actresses and together with Milhem Cortaz give the best performances of this movie. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "Lula, o Filho do Brazil" ("Lula, the Son of the Brazil")