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TWO TIMES JOÃO LIBERADA

by Paula Tomás Marques

synopsis

João, an actress from Lisbon, is starring in a biopic about the gender-nonconforming Liberada, who was persecuted by the Inquisition in 18th-century Portugal. Although the director of the biopic seems to have a penchant for portraying violence and suffering onscreen, Liberada’s story is ultimately one of strength, resilience and rebellion against established gender roles. The production becomes a battleground as João clashes with the director over how Liberada’s legacy should be portrayed. These tensions deepen as the ghost of Liberada starts to haunt João in her dreams and the boundaries between past and present become blurred. When the director suffers a mysterious paralysis and is unable to finish the film, João must navigate her way through the unfolding chaos of the shoot, tormented by unanswerable questions not only about the future of the film but also about her own connection to Liberada’s spirit and story.

international title: Two Times João Liberada
original title: Duas vezes João Liberada
country: Portugal
sales agent: Portugal Film
year: 2025
genre: fiction
directed by: Paula Tomás Marques
film run: 70'
screenplay: June João, Paula Tomás Marques
cast: June João, André Tecedeiro, Jenny Larrue, Caio Amado, Eloísa d'Ascensão, Tiago Aires Lêdo, Alice Azevedo
cinematography by: Fresco Mafalda
film editing: Jorge Jácome
art director: Eloísa d'Ascensão
music: Maria João Petrucci, Rodrigo Vaiapraia
producer: Paula Tomás Marques, Cristiana Cruz Forte
executive producer: Cristiana Cruz Forte, Paula Tomás Marques
production: Fúria de Boi, Casa Estrela, Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola

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