Intermissions

The future President of Brazil is particularly outspoken while in the air. Lula explains to his fellow passengers what the difference is between his labor party and social democratic parties elsewhere in the world. His party was founded by workers, while the others were established by intellectuals who pretend to come from the proletariat. His message: stay close to who you are - in Lula's eyes, authenticity is a prerequisite for political success. This serves as a leitmotif throughout , which follows Lula during the hectic election campaign for the presidency in 2002. Lula gave filmmaker João Moreira Salles and his crew complete access, and the result is an intimate documentary of what went on behind the scenes: Lula debating with his campaign team, Lula at the barber, Lula in his apartment, Lula on a cramped airplane. Aboard that plane, he experiences moments of peace and quiet and has a bit of time for reflection. Sometimes, Lula is afraid that he will lose his freedom as president. The film crew circles around him virtually unnoticed, and the president-to-be made no demands about seeing a final cut. Combined with Lula's candor, the film's observational style provides some very special insight into one of Brazil's most popular leaders.