“I fear our democracy was nothing but a short-lived dream,” says Petra Costa in a new trailer for “The Edge of Democracy.” The Sundance documentary explores the evolving political landscape of the filmmaker’s home country, Brazil.

The spot kicks off on a considerably more optimistic note, with footage of a 19-year-old Costa voting for the first time. The historic election saw Dilma Rousseff  taking leadership of the country, in what Costa describes as a “huge step in [their] democratic path.” He was succeeded by Lula da Silva, Brazil’s first female president, who later found herself embroiled in scandals, impeached, and imprisoned.

In a conversation with Women and Hollywood, Costa said that “The Edge of Democracy” charts her “personal journey into politics” as she watched Brazil “fall into disarray, much like so many other democracies around the world.”

The director explained, “This spectacularly rapid fall from grace came just as Brazil had finally affirmed itself as a democratic power on the world stage. My parents fought against the dictatorship and dedicated much of their lives to the establishment of Brazilian democracy; having grown up with their model, I thought I was lucky to finally be reaping the fruits of their struggle. But suddenly it all began to collapse,” she emphasized. “Class tensions that had been building for years exploded, including in my very own family. In fact, while making the film I realized how my family was more deeply intertwined with the country’s political crisis than I had ever imagined.”

“The film is a look into power,” Costa said, “the desire to make change, and the disillusionment of seeing political structures moving to make sure that everything will stay the same.”

“Elena” and “Olmo and the Seagull” are among Costa’s previous credits.

“The Edge of Democracy” hits Netflix on June 19. The feature will also have a theatrical run in NY and LA.