Documentary film as parallel epistemology: Brasil Paralelo's right-wing media production

This article examines how the right-wing Brazilian media company Brasil Paralelo uses documentary film and digital platforms to promote conservative ideologies and construct what can be described as parallel epistemologies—alternative frameworks of knowledge that challenge journalistic authority and academic consensus. Grounded in critical media studies, this commentary situates the company within Brazil's growing digital right-wing activism and analyzes its films and digital distribution strategies. Since its founding in 2016, Brasil Paralelo has produced high-production-value documentaries that revisit themes such as colonialism, communism, gender, and education through a revisionist-conservative lens. These films circulate online, promoted through search optimization techniques, microtargeted advertising and social-influencer networks. The analysis reveals how Brasil Paralelo weaponizes the documentary genre to promote conservative narratives and legitimize alternative knowledge systems. The case contributes to understanding how digital platforms intersect with private media organizations to promote conservative ideology and alternative epistemologies that challenge academic authority.