Set in the near future, Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail is a dystopia that critiques Brazil’s right-wing politics through the lens of ageism. Under a new government policy, individuals over the age of seventy-five are excluded from social life. Officials justify the decision by claiming it is meant to relieve the burden on the younger, more productive age group, while ensuring better living conditions for the elderly. In reality though, those over seventy-five years of age are deprived of their most basic rights, stripped of the freedom to make decisions about their own lives, and ultimately, deported to a separate colony. Tereza, who is still full of desire to live life to the full, bearing unfulfilled dreams like getting on a plane for the first time, refuses to accept the fate imposed on her. Instead of surrendering to the authorities, she runs away to embark on a journey along the Amazon River.

The Blue Trail is a fictional story, but not too distant from reality. During the pandemic, restrictions on certain age groups have sparked a heated debate on how this affects public order and health at large. The idea of sacrificing entire segments of society under the pretext of “for your own good” seems less unlikely in today’s world than ever before. Perhaps best to read Mascaro’s film more as an urgent warning than a tale of fantasy. 

Berlin 2025

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, Ecumanical Jury Award