
Madalena
New Directors/New Films 2021
April 28 - May 8, 2021
In this hauntingly oblique yet vivid moral drama, set in a rural Brazilian town, three characters’ lives are affected in different ways by the death of Madalena, a trans woman whose body is found in one of the vast soybean fields that stretch across the region.
Madalena screens virtually nationwide from 5/2 to 5/7.
Access this year’s ND/NF virtually nationwide or in FLC theaters!
- FLC Virtual Cinema: The public-facing rental platform for FLC members, students, seniors, and the general public.
- MoMA Virtual Cinema: Free exclusively for MoMA members starting April 28th.
In this hauntingly oblique yet vivid moral drama, set in a rural Brazilian town, three characters’ lives are affected in different ways by the death of Madalena, a local trans woman whose body is found in one of the vast soybean fields that stretch across the region. For cisgender Luziane (Natália Mazarim) and Cristiano (Rafael de Bona), a bar hostess and a wealthy soy farm scion, respectively, her death occasions vastly different kinds of rupture, while for Bianca (Pâmella Yule), a trans woman and friend of the deceased, it is a more tragically matter-of-fact instance of increasing violence perpetrated on their community. Director Madiano Marcheti’s almost sidelong approach—with Madalena providing the film’s structuring absence—is a provocative challenge to conventional narrative and a rebuke to formulaic depictions of trauma.
Access the entire festival slate and SAVE with the Virtual All-Access Pass for just $275 ($348 value).
All ND/NF screenings include recorded filmmaker Q&As! Virtual ticket holders will be able to access these conversations in the Virtual Cinema timed to when the film premieres. In-theater ticket holders will be sent access to a private YouTube playlist at the start of the festival.




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