Vera (II) (1986) User Reviews

Trapped in a Wrong Body

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 3 July 2011]

In the 80's, the teenage orphan and intern of an institution for protection of minors Vera Bauer (Ana Beatriz Nogueira) becomes the protégé of her teacher Paulo (Raul Cortez) that gets a job for her in a library. Bauer is a poetess and lives an inner conflict with her sexuality, feeling a man trapped in a female body. She falls in love with Clara (Aida Leiner), who works in the video department of the library and has a son, and they have a relationship. While she writes her biography, she recalls her life in the institution. However, she is not able to deal with her sexual crisis.

"Vera" is a sensitive film about lesbianism directed by Sergio Toledo and based on the true story of the transsexual Anderson Bigode Herzer a.k.a. Sandra Mara Herzer. This film has magnificent direction and performances, complemented by the soundtrack of Arrigo Barnabé, Roberto Ferraz and Tércio da Motta.

In 1987, "Vera" was awarded with the "Troféu Candango" in the Brasília Festival in the categories Best Actress (Ana Beatriz Nogueira); Best Soundtrack (Arrigo Barnabé, Roberto Ferraz and Tércio da Motta); and Best Sound (José Luiz Sasso) and the Silver Bear in the Berlin Festival in the category Best Actress (Ana Beatriz Nogueira), and the director Sergio Toledo was nominated for the Golden Bear. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Vera"

Better than "Boys don't cry" (mild spoilers)

[Wilde_child · 10/10 · 16 June 2003]

Latin-American (in this case, Brazilian) productions are usually underestimated compared to American productions. That's one of the reasons I highly recommend "Vera" if you liked films such as "Boys don't cry" and "Salmonberries" (which were made years later than this one).

Ana Beatriz Nogueira, who plays the title role, won the Berlin Festival's Silver Bear for her powerful performance in this sensitive, moving film.

Vera is a girl who lived in sort of a correctional facility for young people, until she meets a benevolent, educated man, who helps her (even allowing her to spend some time at his home), and gets a job in an office.

She sees herself and dresses as a man (crossdressing), in a typical sexual crisis-type behaviour, and falls in love with a woman, even passing for a guy to her girlfriend's family.

But her repression and traumas don't let her act openly and liberated in their intimacy, which leads to a conflict, as we see in "Boys don't cry".

However, unlike "Boys.." there's no sexual assault or murder in this one, which doesn't compromise its depth and Sergio Toledo's careful direction and proper screenplay. And it succeeds in focusing on Vera's personality and feelings, instead of her sexual life, which "Boys...", as good as it is, did.

It's definitely one of my all-time favourites and shouldn't be viewed only by those who are into gay/lesbian/transgender films, but by all those open-minded people who appreciate a good drama.

Watch out for the great Brazilian actor Raul Cortez in a small but important role.