Hora do recreio

Taking both a documentary and a fictional approach, Hora do recreio addresses the issue of education in Brazil. School students talk about problems that are affecting them, including violence, racism and femicide, and re-enact situations they experienced during police operations in the favelas. At another school, the students are working on a dramatic adaptation of the novel “Clara dos Anjos” by Lima Barreto, which was written at the beginning of the 20th century and portrays the abuse of a destitute Black girl. Referring to the text, the pupils compare the story with their own experiences and the problems they are encountering in society today. The starting point for this project was a survey among teachers working in public education. The film was then shot in schools that are representative of different neighbourhoods and communities in Rio de Janeiro. The documentary part was developed from classroom debates; events encountered during the filming, such as a police operation, were also included.