As a man, I'm certain I don't deserve to have an opinion on the right or wrong way to depict sexual assault in movies and TV shows. I belong to a culture where cases like marital rape, sexual violence, and the harassment of women have become so commonplace that they don't stir the national conscience unless these cases are used for political purposes or to demonize a community. I grew up in a time when celebrities not only used the word "rape" to define physical exhaustion but also used it as a punchline to explain why rote learning is wrong (I'm talking about Three Idiots). Therefore, even if I try to explain the difference between a story that addresses this topic sensitively and one that delves into the sexploitation subgenre, I think I'll end up saying something stupid.
With all this in mind, I think it's fair to draw the line at a rape scene filmed from the victim's perspective, right? And since Rivers of Fate crosses that line quite explicitly, I must also question its intent. Rivers of Destiny, by Fernando and Quico Meirelles, an adaptation of Edyr Augusto's Pssica, written by Braulio Mantovani, Fernando Garrido, and Stephanie Degreas, tells the story of Janalice, whose boyfriend leaked sexually explicit videos. Instead of protecting her from trial, her Bible-loving parents, Lizete and Pedro, send her to her aunt Daiane's house so they won't be affected by her sinful activities. Daiane's husband, Ramiro, turns out to be a pedophile, and in an attempt to escape from home, she ends up in the clutches of Mario, the local criminal, who sells her to a gang working for Ze Elidio.
One of the gang members, Prea, falls in love with Janalice and promises to free her by buying her from his boss. But before he can do so, he has to deal with Mariangel. Who is she? She's a former guerrilla who lived with her husband, João Mauro, and their son, Guilherme. One night, they were attacked by Prea and her gang of gangsters, who killed João and Guilherme. Since then, Mariangel, along with her son's boyfriend, Ze Do Boi, has embarked on a mission to slaughter all those who took the lives of her loved ones. Therefore, the narrative revolves around two things: Mariangel and Ze Do Boi's revenge, and Janalice's escape from the world of flesh trafficking.
Rivers of Fate is basically a Taken miniseries. It's here to say that child prostitution is bad, something we all know and agree on. It wants to show us that we live in a man's world, something we all know and hope to change. The only significant interpretation of the formula we get is that instead of a father saving his son, it's someone else's father who saves a child while trying to avenge his own. What exactly does that accomplish? Well, since Janalice's parents trust more in God than in their own ability to revolutionize Brazil for their daughter, I suppose it's a commentary on the futility of religion. But since the writers don't dwell on it too much, probably for fear of irritating religious fanatics, this criticism of faith isn't as evident. As for Mariangel enacting vengeful violence, I suppose it's about a woman in a male-dominated field; you know, because these kinds of stories usually have a man as the white knight. Does the fact that Mariangel is a woman offer some new perspective on this issue, or does it simply remind women to arm themselves against men? As crude as it sounds, it achieves the latter because it's simpler...
Now, let's talk about why I find Rivers of Fate exploitative, even though it wants to talk about sexual exploitation. For starters, there's the victim's point of view in a rape scene. As soon as I understood what the creators were trying to achieve, I felt repulsed by both the act being portrayed and how it was shown on screen. If I sound sensitive while trying to explain why I felt this way, please forgive me. Well, I guess three types of people watch this series: rapists, rape victims, and those who don't fit into any of the aforementioned categories.
When a rapist watches that scene, do the creators really think they'll change their mind and be driven to never commit a crime again? When a rape victim watches that scene, do the creators think they'll feel grateful to be reminded of a moment that shaped them? As for those who know that rape is a crime and empathize with the victims, what are they supposed to take away from this? I don't have the right answers to these questions, but the fact that you're wondering about the creative choice to portray Janalice's plight instead of thinking about Janalice's plight means something is deeply wrong with the creators' mindset.
Rivers of Fate certainly featured some great cinematography, editing, color grading, and sound design. Certain chase sequences and tense moments were beautifully realized. The performances from the entire cast, especially Domithila Cattete, Marleyda Soto, and Lucas Galvino, were excellent. I know anyone who dislikes the show's content will assume it's the actors' fault, but I don't think that's the case at all. They're doing what they've been told; we can only hope that all the explicit scenes with the young actors were done with their mental health first.
If anyone needs to be questioned, it's the creators who should be on the hook. By the way, I don't deny that sexual exploitation exists in real life. I'm a realist, and I know we live in a shady world where women are relentlessly exploited. However, when analyzing this part of our culture from an entertainment perspective, I wonder if it stems from empathy or if it's just another disgusting attempt to exploit women. From my perspective, it doesn't look good. If anyone thinks otherwise, please don't hesitate to let me know.
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