Without Wings (Sem Asas) is a short film that relates the story of Zu, a black 12-year-old boy who goes to the shop to buy flour and, on his way back, discovers he can fly.
Brazilian Women Against Fascism and the Antiracist Struggle is the name of the film discussion programme organised by the MBCF-BCN assembly for Antic Teatre’s Grec 2020: Antifascist Conferences programme.
MBCF-BCN (Brazilian Women Against Fascism – Barcelona) is an assembly consisting of Brazilian women of the diaspora; feminist, non-partisan, diverse, resistant of Jair Bolsonaro’s govenrment and the rhetoric of hate used by the far right. It acts in favour of democracy, for equality and respect of Brazilian identities and diversities. Their first action took place in Barcelona’s Sant Jaume square after the murder of Marielle Franco in March 2018, but the assembly was created in September on the back of the #EleNão movement that took place in several countries against Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s current president, when faced with the possibility of the far right and its overwhelmingly fascist rhetoric taking up positions within Brazilian institutions.
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Without Wings (Sem Asas) was directed by Renata Martins, who holds a degree in Cinema and a postgraduate degree in Languages and Art from Sao Paolo University. She is the creator of much-awarded web series Empoderadas. She has written and directed short films Aquém das Nuvens and Sem Asas. She was part of the scriptwriting team for the series Pedro e Bianca and Malhação Viva una diferencia, both winners of the Emmy International Kids award.
Invited to the subsequent debate
Renata Martins, who holds a degree in Cinema and a postgraduate degree in Languages and Art from Sao Paolo University.
Gemma Ferreón is a spokesperson for SOS Racisme.
Zezé Motta is a Brazilian actress and singer. She is considered one of the most important black actresses in Brazil.
“Antifascist struggle is still an issue in the 21st century and we need to remain alert and ready for combat given the resurgence of the far right in its new manifestations, whether at institutional level or on the streets. This year’s programme is in defence of a politicised international scene: artists and residents who do not forget their condition as a class and the social reality that surrounds us.
With the global pandemic and the resulting social and financial crisis, antifascist and antiracist movements must remain extremely active. This is why this year’s conferences are even more important, if possible, than they were last year, when we began to work on them for the Grec 2020 programme. They are a political declaration of support and joint strength against fascism.”
Semolina Tomic, Antic Teatre’s Artistic Director
“In Spain and in Brazil the transition to democracy retained certain conservative elements in a latent state that have now emerged and entered the institutions, supported by the advance of an international far-right front. In Brazil, the assumption of power by an alliance of contemporary neofascism motivated by unfettered liberalism is resulting in the systematic destruction of public institutions and policies that were many years in the making.” Isabel Ferreira and Eduardo Bonito, activists and independent curators.
With Antic Teatre at Grec 2020: Antifascist Conferences, we’re putting forward a programme adapted to an online format to stimulate encounters, reflection, and action. The Antifascist Conferences bring to the foreground how sociopolitical authoritarianism threatens people in Brazil today, living the extremely serious situation imposed b Bolsonaro’s neofascist government, and how it still affects those who lived through Franco’s dictatorship.
