Stela Schroeder
Queer Brazilian Documentry
In this project , originally done for Comm305 , Stela Schroeder researches and curates a season of six queer films for a film festival , exploring the new powerful wave of queer documentaries of the largest South American country – Brazil . Schroeder ’ s selection showcases Brazil ’ s diverse queer culture , and how the Brazilian queer community has struggled and flourished throughout the decades , from the military dictatorship years up to today .
Queer Brazilian Documentary aims to explore the new powerful wave of queer documentaries of the largest South American country – Brazil . The films were chosen to showcase Brazil ’ s diverse queer culture , and how the Brazilian queer community has struggled and flourished throughout the decades , from the military dictatorship years up to today . I wanted this festival to chronologically represent the presence of LGBT culture and art in the country , and their ongoing fight for acceptance , self-expression & belonging .
The festival starts with Dzi Croquettes , a documentary that maps out the history of the all-male cabaret group whose performances criticized Brazil ’ s
82 dictatorship . I wanted to start with a story that dealt with this very difficult era in the country ’ s history , but without it being fully about the censorship and hard times the queer community went through . Dzi Croquettes is colourful and celebratory , while still keeping it real to the Brazil they were living in . Next is My Buddy Claudia , who more seriously and expansively addresses the deep-rooted homophobia in Brazil – it did not go away with the end of the dictatorship . From Wonder ’ s life offers a personal perspective on this prejudice , while also a front seat to the birth of Brazilian transgressive rock and theatre and LGBT + movement in the 80s . Following virtually the same years , Carta Para Além dos Muros ( English : Letter For Beyond The Walls )