Dir.: Bruno Barreto; Script: Leopoldo Serran D'après le roman de/Based on the novel by: Fernando Gabeira; Phot.: Félix Monti; Ed.: Isabelle Rathery; Mus.: Stewart Copeland; Cast: Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Luis Fernando-Guimares, Cláudia Abreu, Nélson Dantas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Marco Ricca, Mauricio Gonçalves, Calo Junqueira; Prod.: Lucy Barreto, Produções cinematográficas LC Barreto Ltda., Av. Franklin Roosevelt, 194, # 908, Rio de Janeiro (Brésil), tél.: (21) 240 81 51, fax: (21) 262 30 49; Sales: Pandora Cinéma, 7, rue Keppler, 75116 Paris (France), tél.: (1) 40 70 90 90, fax: (1) 40 70 90 91 ;Dist.: Alliance.

In 1964 the constitutional government of Brazil was overthrown by a military coup. During the years that followed, there were many mass student demonstrations which seriously threatened the stability of the new regime. In 1968 the government passed a law abolishing freedom of the press and civil rights, which, unintentionally, increased the popularity of left-wing extremists. A group of young idealists involved in the October 8 Revolutionary Movement (MR-8) decide to carry out a "revolutionary expropriation". They manage to pull off one of the biggest bank robberies in Brazilian history but one of their members, Cézar, is captured and tortured in jail. Because of the censorship laws, none of this appears in the press. In order to break the press gag and gain international publicity for their cause, they decide to kidnap the American ambassador, Charles Elbrick. The kidnapping takes place successfully on September 4, 1969. The kidnappers demand the release of all political prisoners. With the ambassador captive, the guerrillas' demands are broadcast on television. During the next few days, intense discussions are held between the kidnappers and their captive and between the kidnappers and the government. September 7 is Brazil's independence day... "A scrupulously even-handed account of the 1969 kidnapping of the U.S. ambassador to Brazil by left-wing revolutionaries... admirably intelligent..." -- Joe Leydon (Variety)