Vera (1986 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Vera

| image = Vera-sergio-toledo.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Sérgio Toledo

| producer = Sérgio Toledo

| writer = Sérgio Toledo
Felipe Daviña
André Macedo

| starring = Ana Beatriz Nogueira
Norma Blum
Raul Cortez
Carlos Kroeber

| music = Arrigo Barnabé

| cinematography = Rodolfo Sánchez

| editing = Tércio G. da Mota

| studio = Nexus Filmes
Embrafilme

| distributor = Embrafilme

| released = {{Film date|1986|10|19|ref1={{cite web | url=http://cinemateca.gov.br/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/iah/?IsisScript=iah%2Fiah.xis&base=FILMOGRAFIA&lang=P&nextAction=search&exprSearch=ID%3D024302&format=detailed.pft | title=Vera | publisher=Cinemateca Brasileira | access-date=June 22, 2014 | language=pt | archive-date=October 29, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029003912/http://cinemateca.gov.br/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/iah/?IsisScript=iah%2Fiah.xis&base=FILMOGRAFIA&lang=P&nextAction=search&exprSearch=ID%3D024302&format=detailed.pft | url-status=dead }}}}

| runtime = 87 minutes

| country = Brazil

| language = Portuguese

}}

Vera is a 1986 Brazilian semi-biographical drama film written and directed by Sérgio Toledo. Shot in São Paulo,{{cite journal | title=Vera | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbowAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Vera%22+%22S%C3%A9rgio+Toledo%22+%22rodado%22 | journal=Afinal | issue=65, 86, 92 | publisher=Editora C, University of Texas | year=1985}} it stars Ana Beatriz Nogueira, Norma Blum, Raul Cortez, Carlos Kroeber, and Aída Leiner. The film is based on the life of Anderson Bigode Herzer, a transgender man most known as the author of poems book A queda para o alto (Descending Upwards).{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vown1iVaUG8C&pg=PA152 | title=New Queer Cinema: The Director's Cut | author=Rich, B. Ruby | page=152 | year=2013 | publisher=Duke University Press| author-link=B. Ruby Rich | isbn=978-0822354284 }} Both the book and the movie cover the story of a trans man who attempts to find himself while living in a boarding school in São Paulo, but experiences many prejudices and traumatic experiences.

The initial conception for the film's script came following research carried out by the Brazilian government organization Fundação de Bem-Estar do Menor (Febem), as well as the reports written by Herzer in his book, which was published after his death. Funding for the film came from Embrafilme as well as the private sector.{{Cite web |last=Editores da Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural |date=June 25, 2020 |title=Vera |url=https://enciclopedia.itaucultural.org.br/obra70954/vera |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626135928/https://enciclopedia.itaucultural.org.br/obra70954/vera |archive-date=June 26, 2023 |access-date=June 26, 2023 |website=enciclopédiaitaúcultural.org |language=pt}}

Ana Beatriz Nogueira's performance was acclaimed by critics and earned her numerous awards, including the Silver Bear in the Best Actress category at the Berlin International Film Festival, the second Brazilian actress to achieve this following Marcélia Cartaxo's win for Hour of the Star.{{cite web |title=36th Berlin International Film Festival – Prizes & Honours 1986 |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1986/03_preistraeger_1986/03_Preistraeger_1986.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204183551/https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1986/03_preistraeger_1986/03_preistraeger_1986.html |archive-date=4 December 2019 |access-date=10 December 2017 |publisher=Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin}}{{cite web |title=37th Berlin International Film Festival – Prizes & Honours 1987 |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1987/03_preistraeger_1987/03_Preistraeger_1987.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223140818/https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/1987/03_preistraeger_1987/03_preistraeger_1987.html |archive-date=23 December 2019 |access-date=10 December 2017 |publisher=Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin}}

Plot

Bauer (birth name "Vera") is a transsexual man who lives in a correctional facility for young people. After writing a book of verses about his life as a young troubled youth, he meets a benevolent, educated man, who helps him. The man even allows him to spend some time at his home, and arranges for a job for him as an intern in his office.

He comes into his gender identity and begins to dress as a man, eventually falling in love with a woman and passing as cisgender to her family.

The film succeeds in focusing on Bauer's personality and feelings until his tragic death.

Cast

Reception

In 1986, at the Festival de Brasília it won the awards for Best Actress (Nogueira), Best Soundtrack (Arrigo Barnabé), and Best Sound (José Luiz Sasso).{{cite web | url=http://cinemateca.gov.br/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/iah/?IsisScript=iah%2Fiah.xis&base=FILMOGRAFIA&lang=P&nextAction=search&exprSearch=ID%3D024302&format=detailed.pft | title=Vera | publisher=Cinemateca Brasileira | access-date=June 22, 2014 | language=pt | archive-date=October 29, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029003912/http://cinemateca.gov.br/cgi-bin/wxis.exe/iah/?IsisScript=iah%2Fiah.xis&base=FILMOGRAFIA&lang=P&nextAction=search&exprSearch=ID%3D024302&format=detailed.pft | url-status=dead }} In 1987, Nogueira won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival, where Vera was nominated for Best Film.{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1987/03_preistr_ger_1987/03_Preistraeger_1987.html |title=Berlinale: 1987 Prize Winners |access-date=March 3, 2011 |work=berlinale.de |archive-date=March 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319040034/http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1987/03_preistr_ger_1987/03_Preistraeger_1987.html |url-status=dead }} At the Three Continents Festival Nogueira received a Honourable Mention.{{cite web | url=http://www.3continents.com/fr/programme/1987/ | title=3ème Festival des 3 Continents – 1987 | publisher=Three Continents Festival | access-date=June 22, 2014 | language=fr}}