Valentina review – hard-hitting tale of a trans teen in Brazil

In the last few years alone, an array of talented Brazilian filmmakers have been putting out some of the best art about LGBT lives. Cássio Pereira dos Santos’ feature debut Valentina may not reach the heights of Hard Paint, Your Mother’s Comfort, or Madalena, yet it remains a welcome addition to a body of work continually threatened by conservative forces.

Valentina examines the way trans youth are marginalised from the education system through a coming-of-age story. Valentina – played by trans YouTuber Thiessa Woimback – is a teenage girl who moves to a small town with her mother (Guta Stresser). In just one of many infuriating moments, the school bureaucracy explains how the signatures of both parents are required before they'll agree to call Valentina by her chosen name, even though her father has run away with a younger woman.

Things aren’t all bad, though, as Valentina finds kindred spirits among her peers. Júlio (Ronaldo Bonafro​) and Amanda (Letícia Franco), in particular, are great supporting characters who aren't quite what they first seem. Despite his swaggering confidence, Júlio longs for the intimacy of a first kiss from a boy. The pregnant Amanda, meanwhile, proves herself to be an ace computer hacker. The three young actors share a sweet chemistry whenever they’re all on screen together, and it's their relationship that ultimately gives the story hope.

As the film progresses, it gradually becomes a chronicle of the ways men continue to hurt Valentina and let her down. Even Júlio fails as a friend at one point, after he leaves her alone at a party. More serious, however, is the looming threat of male violence. In one scene, a boy who kisses Valentina in a club grabs her by the throat after discovering she’s trans. Later, she is visibly haunted by the earlier attack and ends up being sexually assaulted after falling asleep.

There is no doubt that scenes like this will prove triggering for some, and the film may justly be criticised for the frequency with which they’re shown, possibly landing on the wrong side of gratuity. Yet taken together, these moments convey how transmisogyny can escalate, and how pervasive it is within society at large.

The film truly shines whenever Valentina is hanging out with Júlio and Amanda, though admittedly these moments are few and far between. Their separate stories feel largely disconnected from one another, resulting in a somewhat disjointed film. It also doesn’t help that in terms of visuals and sound, there is little to distinguish Valentina from other coming-of-agers of this type. Viewed alongside Madalena's woozy club scenes and glitchy drone footage, the approach feels a lot more by-the-book.

Despite these problems, Valentina still remains wholly watchable thanks to likeable performances from a young and talented cast. Furthermore, it serves as a necessary portrayal of life for trans kids living in a largely hostile society.

Valentina was screened as part of the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival 2021. A UK release date is yet to be announced.