"Lula is very courageous and an important person because he fights for peace," says filmmaker Oliver Stone

247 - Filmmaker and documentarian Oliver Stone stated that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) "is very courageous and an important person because he fights for peace," highlighting both Lula's foreign and social policies. According to Folha de S.Paulo, the statement was made during a conversation Stone had with journalists about the documentary "Lula," directed by him and acclaimed during its screening on Sunday night (19) at the Cannes Film Festival. Oscar winner for the screenplay of "Midnight Express" and the films "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July," Stone is considered one of the most respected directors in the American film industry.

In the interview, the documentary's co-director also expressed his admiration for Lula: "He is a person in whom we see strength, someone pragmatic, and that's why I admire him more than Bernie Sanders, for example," said Wilson. The documentary primarily focuses on Lula's political imprisonment in April 2018, in the context of Operation Car Wash, and covers events up to the last presidential elections when Lula defeated Jair Bolsonaro (PL). The film also revisits Lula's northeastern and union origins and addresses the parliamentary coup that resulted in the removal of President Dilma Rousseff in 2016.

Stone, also known for his works on Latin American leaders like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez, uses "Lula" to criticize American foreign policy and its impact on Latin America. "We Americans are bullies. Bullies and arrogant, and I couldn't ignore that in this documentary. These guys think they can interfere in everyone's politics, and nobody talks about it. They are sons of b****es," Stone said.

Stone and Wilson suggest in the documentary a possible American manipulation in the fall of Lula and other leftist leaders in South America, linking US support for the 1964 coup with Operation Car Wash. "Sergio Moro and several politicians from his party were going back and forth to the United States at the time. Isn't that strange?" he questioned.

The documentary has generated great interest, with sold-out screenings and warm applause even from festival staff, an unusual feat. Stone, however, emphasized that the film is made from an American perspective and said that Lula has not yet watched the documentary but will send a copy to the president soon.

Despite being cautious about whether Lula has achieved his goals in his third term, Stone and Wilson acknowledge the president's efforts in preserving the Amazon but warn of increasing deforestation in the Cerrado and the challenges Lula faces in the energy transition.