Cultura, sexualidad y censura estatal en el cine de Argentina y Brasil entre los años 1960 y 1980

Abstract

This article proposes an analysis of the main characteristics of erotic film production in the cultural industry of Argentina and Brazil since the 60’s and during the following two decades. It is about a type of cinema that took place within the framework of national security dictatorships which had a strong conservative character and that also represented a significant portion of local production and important public success. Our aim is to examinate some film productions marked by a strong erotism, such as the Brazilian pornochanchadas and sexy-comedies with vedettes and great Argentinian comedians. We propose establishing transversal axes to examinate the specific forms that the sexual politics related to audio-visual culture under the national security’s States of Brazil and Argentina assumed, contributing to understanding less-known aspects of statal control, and it’s crossing with familiarist and traditionalist speeches of these military regimes. These military regimes excercised tenacious and permanent control among intelectual, cultural and artistic productions. However, even though in the cinematographic field there was censorship applied through scene’s cutting and, in some cases, through full prohibitions of the artworks, the State contributed with the financiation of some of these projects and their development was favored with production quotas and/or exhibition in the local market. In that sense, no only it was tolerated, but also the presence of erotic films in the cinematographic market was estimulated in order to promote controlled forms of entertainment in front of strong restrictions of freedom.