In the Amazon Rainforest Uýra travels and brings with them a plethora of knowledge in regard to that rainforest and the LGBTQ+ community. Uyra is transexual, and they want to ensure that younger generations are aware of the series of issues that this community deals with. Using modern art, Uyra does all that they can to change the future and protect certain communities from continued scrutiny and oppression. Uýra: The Rising Forest follows this journey.
There’s an obvious agenda here, one that will be incredibly easy for any and all viewers to understand–but it’s out of place and unwarranted. Uýra: The Rising Forest uses the Amazon Rainforest to perpetuate a completely unrelated agenda–one that will antagonize, one that will frustrate, one that will divide. It seems that the rainforest and the struggles that it faces is simply a way in for the titular individual, a way for them to find a way into the minds of children and other unsuspecting individuals. Uýra: The Rising Forest feels like it’s attempting to manipulate the individuals on screen, and viewers, in this way–like this team will do whatever it can to reach its audience, even if those methods are unsavory. This aspect of the documentary is exactly as I expected, frustrating–and this never really relents–only doubling and tripling down the longer the film goes on.
Aside from the divisive agenda, Uýra: The Rising Forest is a well-constructed, and truly beautiful documentary. As viewers journey through the rainforest, they are able to see a series of beautiful visuals, showcasing all that Brazil has to offer the world. Viewers are effectively provided a private tour of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, a first-row showcasing of said rainforest and each of its many nuances. Uýra: The Rising Forest dives deep into the aforementioned landscape–and it creates a bright and vibrant juxtaposition to a darker and more harrowing narrative strewn throughout.
Director Juliana Curi is tasked with finding a balance between the beautiful visuals and the less-than-ideal subject matter. While there is certainly a juxtaposition of tones and themes playing out throughout Uýra: The Rising Forest, I’m not sure that balance is ever achieved. However, like the physically attractive nature of the film, there are other things to like about the documentary. One of those things is the cinematography. As viewers navigate the wet terrain, a filming crew is physically present, forced to find a way to appropriately and accurately showcase all that is being talked about. They must walk the rainforest, they must endure the sometimes less-than-ideal conditions, and they are effectively the ones in the trenches, tasked with bringing this film to life. While a group of individuals had a vision, someone had to bring the film to life–and that’s Director of Photography Thiago Moraes 'Quadrado' and his team.
I think there is more to like about Uýra: The Rising Forest than there is to dislike–but somehow the scales feel like they’ve been tipped in the opposite direction. Not all things are equal in this film, and the reality is that the bad manages to outweigh the good in many ways. While there are so many things to like about this film, and while there are aspects of the film that I love–that unfortunate agenda often overshadows the good, making it difficult for me to genuinely appreciate the film. Uýra: The Rising Forest has a ton of upside, but not enough to right the ship.
Directed by Juliana Curi.
Written by Juliana Curi & Martina Sönksen.
Starring Uýra Sodoma, Zahy Guajajara, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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