A voz, o canto e as subjetividades no documentário “As Canções” de Eduardo Coutinho: uma análise sob o olhar da musicoterapia

Abstract

This paper analyzes the documentary As Canções (2011), directed by Eduardo Coutinho, focusing on the relationships between voice, singing, and processes of subjectivation, in dialogue with theoretical foundations of music therapy. This is a qualitative, interpretative study that uses the documentary as an audiovisual source, understanding it as a space for listening and for the elaboration of life narratives mediated by music. The theoretical framework draws on studies of documentary language, experience and experiential knowledge, as well as contributions from music therapy related to voice, singing, and music as forms of subjective expression. The analysis focuses on selected characters from the film, observing how the chosen songs function as mediators of memory, affect, and identity, enabling the expression of experiences that often exceed verbal language. The results indicate that singing assumes different expressive functions, such as the retrieval of past experiences, the communication of affect, and the symbolic elaboration of losses and meaningful relationships. The documentary’s aesthetic choices, marked by visual economy and attentive listening by the director, favor the protagonism of participants and enhance the emergence of subjectivities. It is concluded that As Canções highlights the power of music and voice as devices for narrative and subjective construction, expanding the dialogue between documentary cinema, aesthetic experience, and music therapy.