Noel Herpe gives masterclass on transvestites in cinema

French film historian and writer Noel Herpe will be in Brazil in September for a series of masterclasses on the history and image of transvestites in world cinema. The event will be held in four cities: Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and is based on his new book, “Travestissons-nous”, released in France in March this year.

The masterclasses will last an hour and a half and will include a screening of the film “É o Homem”, directed by Herpe, followed by a lecture that will open up a space for a dialogue on the representation of transvestites in the seventh art. The event is a unique opportunity to deepen knowledge about diversity in cinema, addressing the presence and representation of trans and transvestite characters.

Mon film “C’est l’homme” is finally visible on the internet! Guaranteed suspense and frisson… http://t.co/L3tnDtVmfmpic.twitter.com/CPouLUmcNz

— Noël Herpe (@NolHerpe) November 17, 2014

Herpe’s work is known for its emphasis on diversity and LGBTQIA+ issues. In a cinematic landscape historically dominated by heteronormative narratives, Herpe seeks to highlight other performativities, bringing to light groups such as queer people, who have often been marginalized. Her historical and critical analysis investigates how the image of the transvestite has been constructed in cinema over the years.

Noel Herpe, in addition to being a historian, is a filmmaker, actor and film critic. With a vast academic and artistic career, he is a professor of cinema at the University of Paris – VIII and has taught at the University of Chicago and the University of Caen. Herpe is also the author of more than thirty books, including a biography of filmmaker Eric Rohmer, an important figure in the French New Wave cinema.

The masterclasses will be held in Recife on September 10; Salvador on September 12; Rio de Janeiro on September 14; and São Paulo on September 16 and 17. In São Paulo, the sessions will be held at the University of São Paulo (USP) and at the Belas Artes cinema, offering the public the chance to explore the subject with one of the greatest experts in the field.

By Ezatamentchy