Filmmaker Statement

We are taught from childhood to regard as heroes and historical references white characters, usually originating from European culture. The film addresses, albeit in a fable-like and fantastical manner, the life and legacy of the character Dona Beatriz Ñsîmba Vita, an African woman with much stronger ties to Brazil than Pedro Alvares Cabral, the supposed "discoverer" of this country called Brazil. I believe it's important to deconstruct certain narratives that are highly racist and to reestablish connections with our ancestral roots with the Black individuals who were enslaved. Our film aims to spark interest in this character, who is so little known to Brazilians but has deep connections to our national identity.