DIRECTED BY JOHN FRANKENHEIMER: THE TELEVISION WORK: THE BURNING SEASON (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television drama film explore the true story of Brazilian environmental activist Chico Mendes and his crusade for workers' rights in the 1980s. The program begins in 1951 as young Chico observes his father's struggle to obtain fair wages for his difficult work harvesting rubber, considered as precious as "white gold," from the trees of the Amazon rainforest. He soon meets a visitor from the city, Tavora, who offers to teach Chico how to read in exchange for lessons on rubber-tapping, and Chico's understanding of the workers' corrupt conditions are cemented when he watches in shock as one of the estate bosses burns a man alive for attempting to start a union. In 1983, in Cachoeria, an adult Chico listens with interest as union president Wilson Pinheiro urges the people to join together to fight against the wealthy landowners who are planning to raze the forest and all of its rubber trees, thus destroying their livelihoods, to make way for ranch land for cattle. Pinheiro leads a group of workers, including Chico, to a confrontation with the men hired to cut down the trees, demanding that they leave. The situation nearly turns violent before Chico steps in and addresses the men, pointing out that they too are being taken advantage of and will not personally profit from the forest's destruction at all, and Pinheiro is impressed with his tactics. He stresses the importance of the union, though Chico argues that they need good schools and health clinics at least as much.
Elsewhere, the land developers and State Deputy hopeful Orlavo Galvão discuss the problem of Pinheiro's union, declaring that it is a "national security" issue, not just an economic one. Comparing the workers to harmful termites, they recruit ruthless "ecologist" Darci Alves to "take out the queen," and Pinheiro and his associate Regina de Carvalho find a threat in the form of a goat's severed head at their door. Pinheiro refuses to give in, and everyone is horrified when he is soon shot and killed while relaxing at the union office. Many other union members are attacked and arrested, and Chico is tortured by the police for several days before being returned to his home. As he recovers, his family members urge him to flee Brazil, but he refuses, stating that there must be "no more orphans and widows." English documentarian Steven Kaye arrives and explains that he wants to film the burnings and other offenses in order to educate the world about Brazil's troubles, though Chico is disinterested. He and his fellow workers stage another protest at a different site, refusing to use violence against the tree-cutters, though their leader boldly states that he can kill Chico and get away with it, and one man ends up badly injured by a chainsaw. At the hospital, Chico bonds with a young boy, Genesio, and everyone praises Chico when the tree-cutters are forced to leave temporarily because of the man's serious injury, though they claim that it is because of the bad weather.
Pleased with the minor victory, Chico declares his intentions to marry a younger woman, Ilzamar, and he befriends Kaye as he describes his vivid childhoof memories of seeing the man burned alive, declaring that he will not allow his own children to witness such atrocities. Four years later, Ilzamar and Chico have several children and Kaye continues filming the events in Brazil, and Chico is invited to Miami to address the bankers whose loans are financing the destruction of the forests. He ponders running for State Deputy against Galvão, while elsewhere Galvão gives a rousing speech about the prosperity that the road and the cattle ranch will bring to the people, claiming that Chico wishes to keep them all impoverished. Chico finds that he has no gift for public speaking, but continues reaching out to the people on a grassroots level, showing them satellite photos of the extensive fire damage to the forests. In the midst of his hard work, Chico suffers a personal tragedy when one of his twin sons dies in childbirth, and he confides to Kaye that he lost eleven siblings during his childhood due to inadequate medical care.
Despite his campaigning, Chico receives only ten percent of the votes for State Deputy. Determined to continue his work, he heads to Miami after all for the Inter-American Development Bankers Conference and is surprised when Kaye reveals that he, Chico, has been given an award for his work in saving the rainforest, as his true focus is on workers' rights. He grows angry as he is largely ignored by the conference attendees, angrily telling Kaye that he wants meaningful change and progress for his people, but not at the cost of keeping everyone impoverished. He gives an effective speech about his people's needs, explaining that stopping the road's construction will benefit everyone in the long run, and Alves grows increasingly angry at his success. Galvão's associate Sezero tells Alves about an under-the-table property deal acquired during a card game, but Galvão realizes that he has no choice but to negotiate with Chico in person. He arrives in Cachoeira with Sezero and sits down with Chico, who firmly explains that the rubber-tappers have a right to work on their own land. Galvão suggests that Chico is "embarrassing" his home country with his activism, but Chico reminds him that Galvão himself has employed far worse tactics.
Galvão and Sezero sit down for an awkward dinner at the Mendes home as dozens of Chico's supporters gather outside of the union office. Galvão tries to compromise and maintain his plans for the road, but Chico declares that the destruction must stop entirely and that the people must be consulted directly. Finally, Galvão announces publicly that Cachoeira will be declared protected government land and will be held in trust for its residents, adding that he will thoroughly investigate the murders of Pinheiro and other activists. Everyone celebrates the victory and praises Chico's levelheaded efforts, though a furious Alves leaves another goat head at Chico's home, suggesting that he is still in danger. Chico's friends and family again encourage him to leave, suggesting that he will be far safer in America, but Chico declares that he is willing to be a martyr for his cause if need be, and he seems prepared to die as he spends the Christmas season bonding with his children. On December 22, 1988, he is shot and killed inside his home by Alves' son, witnessed by a horrified Ilzamar. News of his assassination spreads across the world, and in 1990, 2.5 million acres of land in Cachoeira are declared protected by the government and renamed the Chico Mendes Reserve. Genesio testifies against Alves, though Alves escapes prison three years into his sentence, and many acres of Brazilian rainforest are still destroyed for corporate interests on a daily basis.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1995 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:49:37
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:41885
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Hispanic Collection - Drama; Drama, historical; Brazil - Social conditions
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1994
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Puttnam … Executive Producer
- Thomas M. Hammel … Producer
- John Frankenheimer … Producer, Director
- Diane Smith … Co-Producer
- William Mastrosimone … Writer
- Michael Tolkin … Writer
- Ron Hutchinson … Writer
- Andrew Revkin … Based on "The Burning Season" by
- Gary Chang … Music by
- Raul Julia … Cast, Chico Mendes
- Carmen Argenziano … Cast, Alfredo Sezero
- Sonia Braga … Cast, Regina de Carvalho
- Kamala Dawson … Cast, Ilzamar
- Luis Guzman … Cast, Estate Boss
- Nigel Havers … Cast, Steven Kaye
- Tomas Milian … Cast, Darli Alves
- Esai Morales … Cast, Jair
- Edward James Olmos … Cast, Wilson Pinheiro
- Tony Plana … Cast, Orlavo Galvao
- Marco Rodriguez … Cast, Tavora
- Carlos Carrasco … Cast, Helio
- Jonathan Carrasco … Cast, Genesio
- Jeffrey Licon … Cast, Young Chico Mendes
- Jose Perez … Cast, Moacir
- Tony Perez … Cast, Francisco Mendes
- Briana Romero … Cast, Elenira Mendes
- Jorge Viteri … Cast, Father Ceppi
- Valentin Santana … Cast, Oloci Alves
- Alberto Isaac … Cast, Jose
- Lolo Navarro … Cast, Dona
- Gerardo Albarran … Cast, Darci Alves
- Carlos Romano … Cast, Partenza
- Enrique Novi … Cast, Nilo Sergio
- Jorge Zepeda … Cast, Santos
- Mario Arevalo … Cast, Gunman
- Angel Casarin … Cast, Union Man
- Rene Pereyra … Cast, Disc Jockey
- Roger Cudney … Cast, Reporter
- Carl Mergenthaler … Cast, German Banker
- Gabriel Eduardo Castanon … Cast, Young Boy
- Joaquin Garrido … Cast, Joao
- Jose Antonio Estrada … Cast, Condemned Tapper
- Josefina Echanove … Cast, Town Woman
- Julian Bucio … Cast, Military Lieutenant
- Alfredo Gutierrez … Cast, Forest Worker
- Javier Lambert … Cast, Platoon Commander
- Gustavo Campos … Cast, Cutter