Castanha

Brazil 2014, 95 min, German subtitles

João Carlos Castanha, 52, is an actor, drag artist and lover of life whose best years are already behind him. He lives with his mother in a tiny apartment and performs at night in the gay bars and little theatersof Porto Alegre. The debut film of 26-year-old director Davi Pretto accompanies him on stage and backstage. in the context of Brazil’s homophobic society, the character study examines the many layers of fiction and reality of Castanha’s life: between demimonde and visitsto the doctor, cabaret glamour and brutal everyday life. The televised images of the 2013 demonstrations during which hundreds of thousands took the streets create a constant background noise. “Castanha” internationally premiered in the Forum section of this year’s Berlinale.