Pétala Lopes
Camera
Biography
Pétala Lopes is a photographer, director, and educator. She studied Contemporary Photography at Centro de las Artes in Mexico City and is currently pursuing a degree in Sociology and Politics at FESPSP. Her research explores people, fiction, memory, and relationships. With experience in film and photography, she has directed documentaries for Azmina, such as Elas.lab, about young girls in science. She also directed the web series Future-se, produced by Ação Educativa, portraying the dreams of young Black women, and the project Dezesseis, focused on adolescence in Brazil. She is completing the documentary Communion, which depicts friendship and lesbian identities among women over 50. As a cinematographer, she has worked on projects such as Solidariedade by Fernanda Pessoa and 2 de Copas by Ana Squilanti.
Known For
In 2021, hundreds of thousands of people took over the streets in Brazil, in the midst of a pandemic, to protest against the Bolsonaro government. Inspired by Joyce Wieland's 1973 film of the same name, “Solidarity” portrays these manifestations by focusing on the expressiveness of human hands rather than Wieland's feet. Gestures of affection, resistance, protection, joy or repression are revealed in these images made in super 8mm ektachrome.
Solidarity
Lesbian friends over 50 embark on a trip together and, away from the world’s gaze, celebrate their friendship, desire, and freedom. Over the weekend, they fully embrace the wholeness of a reality they already carry, strengthening the bonds that unite them.
Communion
Alzira, a retired seamstress, starts having intense dreams about her gambling partner.