THE FIRST DEATH OF JOANA by Cristiane Oliviera
Late summer of 2007, South of Brazil. Joana, 13, wants to find out why her great-aunt Rosa died at 70 without ever having dated anyone. Encouraged by her friend Carolina, Joana starts an investigation about Rosa’s past. As she confronts the values of her community, Joana realizes that all the women in her family have a secret, while something hidden inside her also reveals. She plunges into her imagination to find answers while a large wind power plant is being built in their small town.
IFF of India, Cinequest (comp.), OUTshine Miami (comp.), Stockholm IFF Junior (comp.), Lovers Film Festival - Torino LGBTQI Visions (comp.) , Cinema Jove IFF (comp), Cine Latino Tübingen, Tucuman FF (DAC Award for Best Director), Galway FF, XPOSED International Queer FF Berlin, Gramado FF (Critics Award for Best Film, Best Photography, Best Editing), Calella IFF (Best Film) a.o.
"There's an enchanting sense of whimsy that runs subtly through writer/director Cristiane Oliveira's gorgeous film with the aid of strong performances from her teen leads." - The Gay Lens
" Cristiane Oliveira gives us a sensitive and frank exploration of hidden loves and changing views of gender roles and sexuality." - The Mercury News
"A film that explores deeply the female, the desire, the repression inside a patriarchal social structure." - Culturplaza
„A magnificent film „ – Que tal Paris?
"A delicate story of learning, where death becomes the occasion of a birth.„ – Fiches du Cinema
"A very beautiful film shaped with fierce poetry.„ – Mirror Blue
„A breath of fresh air in the stifling heatwave of prejudice. „– Trendyslemag
Cast
Letícia Kacperski - Joana / Isabela Bressane - Carolina / Joana Vieira - Lara / Lisa Gertum Becker - Norma / Emílio Speck - Nilo / Pedro Nambuco - Thomas / Rosa Campos Velho - Rosa / Graciale Caputti - Sofia
Crew
Director: Cristiane Oliveira / Writer: Cristiane Oliveira / Co-writer: Silvia Lourenço / Cinematorgrapher: Bruno Polidoro / Editor: Tula Anagnostopoulos / Sound: Raúl Locatelli, Hudson Vasconcelos, Miriam Biderman (ABC), Ricardo Reis (ABC), Pedro Noizyman / Music: Arthur de Faria, Gustavo Breier / Art Director: Adriana Nascimento Borba / Producer: Aletéia Selonk, Cristiane Oliveira / Executive Producers: Graziella Ferst, Gina O´Donnell / Associate Producers: Gustavo Galvão, Daniel Chabannes de Sars and Corentin Dong-Jin Sénéchal / Production Company: Okna Produções (Brasil) / Associate Production Company: Epicentre Films (France) / Co-production Companies: Crisol Filmes, Locall (Brasil)
Technical information
Original Title: A Primeira Morte de Joana / shot digital 4K (Alexa Mini, Zeis HS T1.3 MK2 / available for screenings in 2K / color / image format 1:2.35 / 91 min / digital 5.1 / original language: Portuguese, Hunsrückisch, German with English, French, Spanish, German or Italian subtitles / Brazil, France 2021