Petra Costa, the filmmaker behind the politically charged Oscar-winning documentary The Edge of Democracy
, is back with a follow-up of the same. With the trailer of her new work arriving recently, anticipation is at an all-time high, with the world waiting to see what the Brazilian director has in store this time around. Maybe another reality check for world leaders and their religion-heavy politics? The answer to it all will soon arrive on Netflix.
As democracy hangs in the balance in the modern world, Costa demands the population pay greater attention to details.
Trailer’s out, tension’s High: What Petra Costa’s new documentary is about?
Petra Costa’s latest work, Apocalypse in the Tropics.
takes the viewers on a decade-long tour through the religious and political convulsions of her home country, Brazil.
Through interviews with office holders, spiritual leaders, and common Brazilians, the film traces the rise of evangelical influence on the country in great detail. For those concerned whether the feature delves too deeply into Brazil’s internal affairs with limited global relevance, per Netflix, it expertly comments on how Brazil’s turmoil reflects similar patterns unfolding around the world, making it relevant for all. The streamer rolls out the endeavor on July 14.
When does a democracy end and a theocracy begin? This is the central question that drives ‘Apocalypse in the Tropics,’ the new documentary film from Academy Award-nominee Petra Costa.
“We worked on this documentary for four years because we believe the erosion of democracy is… pic.twitter.com/IsjfhjGEeV
— Netflix Queue (@netflixqueue) June 30, 2025
Speaking to Netflix, Costa revealed the documentary to be a four-year-long labor. The filmmaker expressed during her conversation with the streamer that she sees Brazil’s story as “a fable of our times.”
Costa received support from David Barker, Alessandra Orofino, Nela Bangerter, and more in the writing department. For those who got curious about the helmer’s aforementioned Oscar-winning documentary after stumbling across Apocalypse in the Tropics,
it is The Edge of Democracy
—once again with Brazil’s political climate at its heart.
The Edge of Democracy
chronicles a tale of power, betrayal, and a nation caught in crisis, giving a complete sneak peek into Brazil’s falling democracy.
Inside Petra Costa’s 2019 work that laid bare Brazil’s crumbling democracy
Petra Costa not only explored Brazil’s political upheaval in The Edge of Democracy
—she also unpacked her own family’s complicated politics and industrial intertwining, giving it a personal touch loved by many, including the critics. The title’s popularity among the latter faction, especially, landed it the coveted Best Documentary Feature nomination at the 92nd Academy Awards. It also won a Peabody Award in 2020.
As global democracy reaches a crisis point, knowledge is one of our greatest lines of defense. @petracostal‘s Academy Award-nominated film THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY is an essential documentation of the Brazilian government’s backslide into fascism, and a must-watch for concerned pic.twitter.com/s1mLhnlySH
— Caetano Veloso (@caetanoveloso) January 25, 2020
The Edge of Democracy
is available for streaming on Netflix, alongside other popular political documentaries.
Coming back to Apocalypse in the Tropics
, critics have already started anticipating the ambitious documentary film’s chances at the next Academy Awards. Only time will tell if it hits or misses the mark, though! The film, for those unversed, will also open in limited US and UK theaters on July 11.
Read More: Netflix Brings Back This Political Thriller From Dead 5 Years After It Was Put to Sleep
Will you be streaming Apocalypse in the Tropics
on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below.