Abstract
Lecture on the status of LGBTQ+ people in Brazil and analysis of the film Paloma. The visually stunning film by Brazilian director Marcelo Gomes tells an extraordinary story inspired by real events.
Paloma was born a man but is a woman. She lives with her mate and six-year-old daughter in the countryside, has dark skin and, thanks to hard work on a papaya plantation, is saving up for her biggest dream - a church wedding.
The inhospitable environment is gradually revealed in the edges of the shots and in the sounds, but she rises above the angry expressions. But the closer she gets to fulfilling her dream of the most beautiful day and coming to the altar, the more the world around her resorts to absurd cruelty.
The film conveys to the viewer the oppression that Paloma experiences, but also her passionate love, innocence and kindness. It shows a gentle person in a brutal world who, despite all the cruelty and injustice, does not stop looking forward.