Additionally, a prosperous relationship develops with his teammate, Bel (Loro Bardot). However, luck changes when Sofia discovers that she is pregnant. She decides to terminate the pregnancy, but is faced with the harsh reality that abortion is illegal in Brazil.
The team’s context, a mostly “queer” space, with trans and non-binary players, brings a special burden to the trauma of overcoming an unwanted pregnancy. When a far-right group, supporters of Bolsonaro, becomes aware of their situation through gossip circulating in the neighborhood, the team becomes a nucleus of female resistance, a space for mutual defense for a series of gender-specific issues.
João (Rômulo Braga), Sofia’s father, is a beekeeper. Through his profession, he embodies the inexplicable threat of the destruction of nature by the Brazilian government. A vision of a country imposed on minds and bodies that makes the situation in Sofia a purely political issue.
The protest against police control of female and non-binary bodies is relevant, moving and empowering, no matter how indigestible it may be. And despite the film’s dark and frustrating elements, Halla’s debut is a mature and bittersweet first game on the court.
Full of freshness, “Levante” is like its title: an invitation to revolt against the injustice of a State that interferes in women’s intimacy. The weight of Bolsonarism obviously hangs on the film, which is an epidermal reaction to its intolerance. However, no one carries the label of victim.
If the naked bodies in the showers expose their diversity to the camera, their presence is not a subject of debate. Not even the physical proximity between Sofia and her best friend Bel. Recognition of the LGBTQIA+ community in all its diversity is a natural need, without fuss or demands. In this atmosphere of obvious tolerance, where no one is judged by their gender, the state pressure to which Sofia is subjected seems even more brutal and intolerable.
A counterfire to a Brazil dominated by populism, “Levante” stands up with communicative energy against the pressure of a power that wants to impose a retrograde religious vision on the entire population. Although misrule has long since left power, Lillah Halla’s film is a testament to the impact of her time on the country. A deep scar that acts as a warning and a message of hope. In a democracy, like in volleyball, all victories can be called into question.
*Eduardo de Assumpção is a journalist and responsible for the blog cinematografiaqueer.blogspot.com
Instagram: @cinematografiaqueer
Twitter: @eduardoirib
By Ezatamentchy
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.