Key Takeaways
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- Gente de Verdade is a documentary series chronicling the Paiter Surui peoples fight to preserve their tribal history in the Amazon, produced as part of the MINC and ANCINE PRODAV program.
- The series follows four individuals from three generations who are struggling to maintain their identity amidst pressures from Christianity, urban life, and new technologies.
- Filmed in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, it delves into themes like ancestry and the contrast between tradition and modernity, framed by a debated archive from their initial contact with outsiders in the 1970s.
- The broadcast of Gente de Verdade on TV Brasil provides significant national reach, enabling wider understanding of indigenous stories, fostering dialogue, respect, and recognition for historically overlooked communities.
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EBC’s TV Brasil has selected “Gente de Verdade,” a documentary series chronicling the Paiter Surui people’s fight to keep their tribal history alive in the Amazon. This project was one of 39 productions chosen by EBC, receiving a total investment of R109,889,224.78—the largest ever from the Brazilian government for public television content. “Gente de Verdade” is part of the Ministry of Culture (MINC) and National Film Agency (ANCINE) PRODAV program and was selected under the Society and Culture category alongside seven other productions. The series is set in the Sete de Setembro indigenous land, straddling the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso, home to the Paiter Surui people. This community first encountered non-indigenous people less than 50 years ago. Since then, the community has experienced profound changes: traditional ways have waned, with churches supplanting shamans, rituals falling by the wayside, and the native TupiMonde language becoming forgotten by younger generations.
“Gente de Verdade” follows four Surui individuals—Ubiratan, Agamenon, Celesty, and Kennedy—from three different generations. They are striving to preserve their identity amidst pressures from Christianity, urban life, and new technologies. Exploring themes of ancestry, belonging, and the tension between tradition and modernity, this eight-episode series, each 26 minutes long, is led by indigenous individuals, offering an insider’s perspective on Surui life. The narrative centers on a pivotal discovery: old photographs taken by a German photographer during the Paiter Surui’s first encounter with outsiders in the 1970s. These images ignite a debate on memory, spirituality, and identity, questioning whether they can be re-examined without violating religious rules or traditions that forbid mentioning the deceased.
Antonia Pellegrino, formerly EBC’s Director of Content and Programming, selected “Gente de Verdade” for TV Brasil. She believed the show had the potential to win any competition, but its creators opted for a public channel to give a voice to previously unheard populations. Pellegrino stated, “This series finally puts the spotlight on stories that have been ignored forever.” The series depicts four Paiter Surui individuals across three generations striving to maintain their identity while navigating Christianity, urban environments, and technology. Filmed in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, it delves into themes like ancestry and the contrast between tradition and modernity, framed by a debated archive from their initial contact with outsiders in the 1970s.
“Gente de Verdade,” sometimes referred to as “Real People,” elevates indigenous filmmakers. Ubiratan Surui, an indigenous filmmaker, directs the documentary series, with Natalia Tupi, an indigenous photographer, contributing to the script. The series shares stories directly from the community’s lived experiences. Ubiratan explained, “This project is about our own perspective. For ages, stories about us were told by outsiders. Now, we are telling them ourselves.” Set in Brazil’s Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, the eight-episode series explores ancestry and belonging, balancing tradition with modernity. EBC President Antonia Pellegrino lauded the project’s potential and chose to air it on public TV to amplify the voices of historically overlooked indigenous communities. The broadcast of an indigenous documentary like “Gente de Verdade” on TV Brasil carries significant national reach, enabling wider understanding of indigenous stories. This platform fosters dialogue, respect, and recognition. As Surui articulated, “When we show up there, it ends invisibility and makes Brazil really hear us Original Peoples.”
Exhibition Spotlights Paiter Surui’s Journey Through the Lens of Time
Last year, the Moreira Salles Institute in São Paulo hosted an exhibition titled “Real People,” featuring 800 photographs of the Paiter Surui people taken since cameras were first introduced to their land in the 1970s. The exhibition explored their stories, traditions, and daily lives. Details are available on the IMS website. This content is presented independently and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Portal Uai.
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