Modernity, Migration, and Defeat

This article considers the film Noites Paraguayas (1982) in the context of how its Brazilian filmmakers viewed 1980s Paraguay and Brazil, paying special attention to the Paraguayan characters and plot in the film. We contextualize the film in terms of its relationship to immigration and migration from Paraguay to São Paulo, focusing on the endless cycle of poverty and migration from rural areas (both in Brazil and Paraguay) to urban areas. By utilizing a close reading of the film’s strategies at the intersection of documentary filmmaking and fiction, we consider how the work documents life in the Paraguayan campaña, the capital city of Asunción, and the large metropolis of São Paulo during the early 1980s. Underscoring the importance of symbolism, we demonstrate that while on the surface the project appears to be unorganized, it is a well-structured and developed film. The Brazilian filmmakers were sensitive to Paraguayan history, culture, and society.