Transversais

2021, Brazil, Érikah Alcântara, Portuguese, Samilla Marques Aires,

Director: Emerson Maranhão
Release Year: 2021

Synopsis:

"Transversais" (2021), a documentary directed by Émerson Maranhão, offers an intimate exploration into the lives of five transgender individuals living in the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará. With a deep focus on their stories of resilience, struggles, and triumphs, Maranhão’s film captures the profound emotional and social experiences of the transgender community, all while addressing the broader societal prejudices that persist in Brazil. The documentary provides a narrative of hope and determination, ultimately transcending the subject of transgender identity to touch upon universal themes of love, acceptance, and the search for personal truth. 

 

The journey to creating "Transversais" began with Maranhão's 2018 short film "Aqueles Dois", which centered on the lives of two transgender men, Caio Batista and Kaio Lemos. Maranhão’s research for this film unearthed a wealth of untold stories, and it became clear to him that there was more to explore within the topic of transgender identity. Not only did he want to expand the focus to include transgender women, but he also felt a deeper commitment to creating a larger work that would encompass the diversity of experiences within the transgender community. This led to the creation of "Transversais". The documentary traces the stories of five individuals from different walks of life. Érikah, a teacher; Samilla, a public employee; Caio José, a paramedic; Kaio Lemos, an academic researcher; and Mara, a journalist and mother to a transgender teen, all share one common experience—being transgender in a world that often marginalizes and discriminates against them. Through their personal accounts, "Transversais" paints a multifaceted picture of what it means to live authentically as a transgender person in contemporary Brazil. However, the process of bringing this documentary to life was anything but straightforward. Maranhão encountered significant political opposition that threatened to derail the project entirely. 

 

In 2019, shortly after Maranhão and his team began seeking funding for the documentary through public channels, "Transversais" was caught in the crossfire of Brazil’s increasingly conservative political climate. The project had been approved for funding under a government initiative designed to support LGBTQIA+ programming, but that changed dramatically when President Jair Bolsonaro publicly intervened. During one of his social media broadcasts, Bolsonaro announced that the documentary would be cut from the funding list, mocking the film’s subject matter. The president referred to the project’s focus on the lives of transgender individuals as "moral issues," and made the disparaging comment, “We managed to abort this mission.” This rejection marked a turning point for Maranhão, who saw the situation as not just an obstacle to his project but a challenge to the broader LGBTQIA+ rights movement in Brazil. The film’s narrative, which focused on real, lived experiences of transgender people, was being reduced to a political football by an administration that sought to erase or stigmatize the existence of transgender individuals. Despite the setback, Maranhão and his team were determined to move forward. When the Aldir Blanc Law, which aimed to support cultural initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, was passed, the filmmakers restructured the project, turning it into a full-length documentary. In 2020, "Transversais" was approved for funding, and by early 2021, the film was in production. The documentary’s eventual release in February 2022 on Netflix was a triumph of persistence, perseverance, and the commitment to telling the stories of marginalized communities. 

 

One of the striking aspects of "Transversais" is its understated, minimalist approach to filmmaking. Maranhão made a conscious decision to avoid flashy techniques such as drones, cranes, or elaborate camera movements. Instead, the focus remained squarely on the individuals whose stories were being told. The filmmaker’s goal was to capture the essence of their experiences with delicacy and without sensationalizing or exploiting their struggles. The documentary’s quiet, intimate cinematography invites the viewer to connect directly with the subjects. Interviews are shot in simple, grounded settings, allowing the personal stories to speak for themselves. Even moments of emotional vulnerability, where the subjects break down in tears, are handled with care. Many of these emotional moments were ultimately excluded from the final cut, as Maranhão wanted to avoid sensationalism. The one exception is a powerful scene where a father recounts his feelings toward his transgender daughter. This moment, marked by raw emotion, was retained in the film with the guidance of activist Julia Katharine, who convinced the filmmakers that this rare portrayal of a father's acceptance was a poignant and meaningful addition to the narrative. 

 

Religion plays a significant role in the lives of two of the film’s protagonists, Kaio Lemos and Caio Batista, though in very different ways. Kaio Lemos found a place of acceptance within the Candomblé faith, where he was embraced by his community, even referring to the leader of his temple as a father figure. In contrast, Caio Batista’s relationship with religion was marked by rupture, particularly with his devout Catholic mother, who struggled to reconcile her faith with her son’s gender identity. This tension between religious belief and transgender identity is a theme that the film handles with sensitivity, allowing the audience to see both the nurturing and the harmful sides of religious influence on transgender people’s lives. Despite the societal challenges and personal struggles that the characters in "Transversais" face, the core message of the film is one of love and acceptance. Maranhão believes that these stories, at their heart, are about much more than gender identity—they are about the universal human quest for love, belonging, and respect. The documentary emphasizes that identity is not a moral question to be judged but a deeply personal and valid expression of the self. Before its release on Netflix, "Transversais" had a successful run at several prestigious film festivals, including the São Paulo International Film Festival, Mix Brasil LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, and Cine Ceará. These festival screenings helped to validate the importance of the film in bringing transgender voices to the forefront of Brazilian cinema. Maranhão expressed his hope that "Transversais" would spark empathy and understanding in the broader public, especially in a time when Brazil was witnessing increasing levels of hate and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals. 

 

"Transversais" is more than just a documentary about transgender lives—it is a testament to the strength, resilience, and humanity of its subjects. The film is a powerful counterpoint to the marginalization of transgender people in Brazil and beyond, and its portrayal of love, acceptance, and self-determination offers hope in the face of adversity. For filmmaker Émerson Maranhão, "Transversais" represents not only a creative achievement but also a moral and political victory in the fight for equality and respect for transgender individuals. As the world continues to grapple with issues of gender, identity, and inclusion, "Transversais" stands as an essential contribution to the conversation, reminding us of the importance of love and acceptance in a world that often seeks to divide.

 

via: youtube

wikipedia and cinemaemcena.com.br
imdb.com

Image credits: YouTube