In her latest film, Maria Ramos unveils a journalistic investigation into the notorious operation of the Brazilian prosecutor's office. As a result of that inquiry, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the ex-president of Brazil, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The protagonists of the documentary, journalists of "The Intercept" and "El Pais," managed to look behind the scenes of the largest anti-corruption operation in the country's history. At least that is how the then president Jair Bolsonaro presented it. Using their own findings, leaks and recordings of interrogations, the reporters expose the real dimension of the operation, which was supposed to scare Bolsonaro's opponents and pave the way for his subjugation of the judiciary. How important are free courts for the functioning of democracy? And how did the imprisoned Lula manage to become president again in 2022?  

Konrad Wirkowski