One of the main entertainment options nowadays, watching films and series can help you prepare for Enem 2025, in a more relaxed and relaxed way. Students can choose some titles to review the content studied, especially in the area of Human Sciences, and also expand the cultural repertoire for writing. This material is part of the Enem Project, a digital channel that will publish free content with tips and guidance for students. The initiative is carried out by GLOBO with sponsorship from Elite and the Amplia platform.
Winner of the Oscar for best international film, “I’m Still Here” (2024) is an example. Directed by Walter Salles and starring Fernanda Torres, the film portrays the trajectory of Eunice Paiva, who faces the pain of the disappearance of her husband — deputy Rubens Paiva, arrested and killed by the military regime — while raising her children and fighting to preserve the truth about the past.
In addition to addressing the Brazilian dictatorship, a recurring subject in Enem, the film deals with other aspects that usually appear in the exam, highlights Caroline Lucena, coordinator of Portuguese Language, Literature and Writing for the pre-university exam at Elite, a partner of the Amplia platform.
— By combining elements of history, emotion and human rights, the work transforms individual memory into a collective symbol of female resistance, defense of freedom of expression and appreciation of democracy, themes deeply aligned with Enem's profile, which values ethical and social reflections on the role of citizenship and historical memory.
In a similar theme, the film “Argentina 1985" (2022) makes connections with the work of Walter Salles as it also deals with the period of dictatorship in the neighboring country, by telling the story of the trial of the military junta that governed the country after the coup. For Camila Feitosa, History coordinator of the Elite pre-entrance exam, the ability to make relationships between historical facts is a fundamental point for Enem, and fiction can help with this.
– From these two films we can draw parallels, due to the period in which the dictatorships took place, but we can also point out differences – reflects the teacher. — On the one hand, we have the National Truth Commission in Argentina taking place shortly after the period of redemocratization, with the first trials already in 1985. It is a very big difference from what happens in Brazil. Our Truth Commission will take a long time to happen, it will only be organized under Dilma Rousseff's government. So it is possible to see some similarities, but also many differences in this context, and it is important that the student does this in a sensitive way.
The messages contained in “I'm still here” also allow you to think about possible themes for the essay. Aline Bello, professor at Colégio Mopi, suggests three: “Challenges to mitigate the disappearance of people”, “The challenges of implementing human rights as a foundation for the consolidation of democracy in Brazil” and “The importance of preserving historical memory for the consolidation of Brazilian democracy”.
On the last topic, Aline highlights that the film highlights how collective forgetfulness of past violations can weaken democracy and perpetuate impunity.
– This reflection connects directly to the proposed theme, as it shows that remembering is a political act: only by recognizing the mistakes of the past is it possible to build a truly free, fair and democratic society.
In the final stretch of preparation, students must pay attention to the most recurring subjects in Enem. In the area of History, the Vargas Era is one of them, a period portrayed in the films “Getúlio” (2014) e “Olga” (2004).
– These are different perspectives on the history of Brazil during the governments of Getúlio Vargas. They talk about social movements, show political clashes and present the national and international context – explains Camila Feitosa.
Still in History, issues related to fundamental rights usually appear in the test, in dialogue with Sociology. Among the films recommended by Camila to reflect on these themes are “City of God” (2002) e “What time does she come back?” (2015).
– These works portray current conflicts in Brazilian society, such as the structural racism present in relationships and access to education, security and housing, rights guaranteed in the Federal Constitution, but not achieved by everyone.
For those who need a review in the field of Philosophy, the suggestion is the Catalan series “Merlí”, which revolves around a teacher of the subject with original teaching methods, inspiration for his students. Each episode addresses a philosopher, with theory mixed with the characters' dramas. The first season goes from Plato and Aristotle to Nietzsche and Foucault.
– This series is a philosophy classic. The student who is studying will identify himself, because he (the protagonist teacher) will talk about things that we talk about in class – recommends Lígia de Albuquerque, coordinator of Philosophy and Sociology at Elite.
Watching a film or series in the last few weeks before Enem can also be an opportunity to prepare for the essay. This is because one of the aspects evaluated in the test is the presence of sociocultural repertoire, that is, information, quotation or lived experience that, in some way, is related to the topic and contributes as an argument to the proposed discussion.
Thus, students can mention in their text any work that is related to the topic of the essay, always in a contextualized way and articulated with the ideas used to defend their point of view.
Check out, below, some titles that can contribute to expanding this repertoire, with comments from professor Caroline Lucena.
“The film, as well as the song of the same name, is a very rich — and versatile — repertoire for Enem, as it allows us to discuss identity, masculinity, freedom and social standards, possible themes in the axes of Citizenship, Diversity and Behavior.
The work questions the stereotypes of masculinity imposed by society and defends the freedom to be who one is, even in the midst of prejudice. Ney Matogrosso — with his androgynous look and provocative performance — deconstructs the traditional idea of a “manly man” and proposes a more plural vision of male identity.”
“The film revisits the classic story of 'The Wizard of Oz' from a new perspective, revealing the origin of the “Wicked Witch of the West.” The narrative follows Elphaba, a young girl with green skin, intelligent and fair, who is marginalized for being different and ends up being labeled a villain by a society incapable of seeing beyond appearances.
The work proposes a reflection on prejudice, empathy and the social construction of the image of others, by showing how power and the media can distort the truth and transform victims into enemies. Thus, “Wicked” offers a valuable repertoire for Enem themes linked to tolerance, diversity, manipulation of information and appreciation of otherness, reinforcing the importance of understanding difference as an essential part of human coexistence and social justice.”
“The plot follows a group of activists who denounce environmental crimes committed by large corporations and face threats when trying to protect traditional communities and indigenous peoples.
The work serves as a repertoire for Enem themes linked to socio-environmental responsibility, citizenship, ethics and climate justice, reinforcing the need for a collective conscience aimed at preserving the planet and defending the minorities that depend on it to survive.”
"The series builds an allegory about social inequality and dehumanization caused by extreme capitalism. In the plot, indebted and marginalized people are invited to participate in deadly children's games in exchange for a large sum of money, revealing the extent to which desperation and ambition can corrupt human values.
The work constitutes a repertoire for Enem themes linked to economic inequality, ethics, empathy, dehumanization and criticism of consumerism, stimulating reflections on the limits of meritocracy and the impact of social structures on human dignity.”
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