Anti-racist film "Executive Order" takes jury prize at the Rio Film Festival

Brazilian dystopian drama 'Executive Order' ("Medida Provisoria") took the jury's prize at the Rio International Film Festival.

The film takes place in a near future in Brazil, when an authoritarian government orders all Afro-Brazilian citizens to move to Africa.

Director Lázaro Ramos says he hopes this film makes a difference in the fight against racism.

"The film talks about many things. In the most poetic sense, the film talks about the power of affection to transform the world, of being affectionate, of looking at others without prejudice. That is the most poetic part. But the film also talks about courage, the film also talks about the anti-racist struggle which is so important", said director, Lázaro Ramos speaking during the ceremony. 

According to the director, the power of this film is that it encourages the viewer to seek and create their own answers.

"This is not a film of easy and simple answers. It's a film that calls on people to help construct answers. This is something very important to me because many times we talk about this subject (racism, ed.) raising awareness but not sensitising. Its purpose, which is why it flirts with melodrama, is to sensitise. I sometimes want people to watch this film and cry and think that they are capable of doing something in the anti-racist struggle", said Ramos.

The film has faced distribution problems in Brazil.

The Brazil National Cinema Agency (ANCINE) has declared that the film is still under "review" with a view to be distributed nationwide.