The Burning Season--The Chico Mendes Story (1994)

Synopsis: John Frankenheimer's first venture into television since he established his reputation in the medium during the 1950s is a fact-based drama on the life of Brazilian rainforest activist Chico... John Frankenheimer's first venture into television since he established his reputation in the medium during the 1950s is a fact-based drama on the life of Brazilian rainforest activist Chico Mendes, who is played with gusto by Raul Julia. After observing the exploitation of his father and uncle, rubber tappers who worked in the rainforest, Chico becomes the right-hand man of labor leader Wilson Pinheiro (Edward James Olmos). Orlao Galvao (Tony Plana), a crooked politician, forms a consortium with cattleman Darii Alves (Tomas Milian) to clear the forest in order to secure a sizable road-building contract. When Pinheiro speaks out about the plan's devastating consequences for the rubber tappers, he's assassinated. Chico takes over his role, advocating a nonviolent response to provocation from the consortium. He files a number of motions, contesting the ownership of the rainforest, and organizes sit-ins to block bulldozers from clearing land. His actions infuriate his opponents, who have him kidnapped and tortured, to no effect. As documentarian Steve Kaye (Nigel Havers) arrives to film his activities, Chico begins his campaign for government office, hoping to bring political weight to bear on the workers' problems. Julia's powerfully incendiary performance, one of the last before his death, is the heart and soul of this compelling docudrama in which Frankenheimer never loses the edge. [More]

Starring: Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Kamala Dawson, Edward James Olmos

Starring: Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Kamala Dawson, Edward James Olmos, Luis Guzmán, Nigel Havers, Tomas Milian, Esai Morales, Tony Plana, Carmen Argenziano

Director: John Frankenheimer

Director: John Frankenheimer
Screenwriter: Michael Tolkin, Ron Hutchinson
Producer: John Frankenheimer, Thomas M. Hammel
Composer: Gary Chang

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