SPOTLIGHT ON BRAZIL
This year MQFF shines a spotlight on Brazilian queer stories – a country facing an epidemic of anti-queer violence that has earned it the ranking of the world’s deadliest place for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people for over a decade.
MQFF explores the creativity and resilience coming out of the Queer Brazilian filmmaking community through this series of feature films, shorts and documentaries – bookended by our Opening Night feature, Private Desert, and Closing Night documentary, UÝRA: The Rising Forest.
The Queer Brazil shorts package showcases exciting and daring works that speak directly (and indirectly) to the current turmoil LGBTIQ+ communities face in Brazil today.
Feature, Mars One, focuses on acts of resistance in a family dynamic during the story of a young queer woman’s budding romance, set pointedly in the months following the election of Brazil’s current President, Jair Bolsonaro. What this means for the young woman and her family hangs over this bright and gentle film.
The intimate lock-down feature, Follow the Protocol, speaks to the fatal pandemic response Bolsonaro’s government enacted in the early months of COVID – by playfully focusing on the swirling anxiety and paranoia it creates for our gay protagonist.
And the feature film, The First Fallen, takes us back to an earlier time with the HIV/AIDS pandemic as it takes hold in the gay community – the parallels create a stark reminder that the fight continues.
Join us as we explore and celebrate queer Brazilian voices in this year’s MQFF.
Opening Night: Private Desert, 2021 |
Mars One, 2022 |
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| Thu 10 Nov – 6:00 PM
A tale in two parts – lovers who’ve not met, separated by miles of desert – a journey of transcendence, of knowing one’s true desires. Set against a backdrop of provincial conservatism in contemporary Brazil, Private Desert is a journey of the heart that will change Sara and Daniel forever. BOOK NOW |
Sat 12 Nov – 3:30 PM
A lower-middle-class Black family tries to keep their spirits up and their dreams alive in the months that follow the election of Jair Bolsonaro, a President who represents everything they are not. Meanwhile, their oldest daughter falls in love with a free-spirited woman who makes her ponder whether it’s time to leave home. BOOK NOW |
Queer Brazil – Shorts Package |
The First Fallen, 2022 |
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| Sun 13 Nov – 8:45 PM
MQFF’s spotlight showcases the vibrant, urgent and original cinema currently coming out of Brazil’s queer scene. Features include, A Wild Patience Has Taken Me Here, The Gift, Dead Model, Life Model and Victor’s Body. BOOK NOW |
Sun 13 Nov – 9:00 PM
At the turn of 1983, in a small Brazilian town, a group of LGBTQIA+ men and women celebrate the New Year — no idea what’s approaching. And yet, biologist Suzano knows that something terrible is happening in his body. BOOK NOW |
Follow the Protocol, 2022 |
Closing Night – Uýra: The Riding Forest, 2022 |
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| Tue 15 Nov – 8:15 PM
After spending 10 months in complete isolation having ended a long-distance relationship with Ronaldo, hypochondriac Chico decides to research and practice sexual encounters that follow all the COVID-19 safety protocols. BOOK NOW |
Sun 20 Nov – 7:30 PM
For the MQFF32 Closing Night, we are proud to present UÝRA: The Rising Forest, an awe-inspiring documentary that explores the life and work of trans non-binary Indigenous artist, Uýra. Shot in the breathtaking Amazon Rainforest — the place where Uýra works and draws inspiration. BOOK NOW |
