A trans woman seeks to rescue a gender-nonconforming pioneer from a flawed film in this gloriously form-exploding tribute to community telling their own stories.

In contemporary Lisbon, trans actress João jumps at the chance to star in a 16mm arthouse biopic about João Liberada, an 18th-century gender-nonconforming nun who made a break for sexual freedom but was betrayed by her lover. What appears to be a dream job takes a turn for the toxic, however, when João’s suggestion to refocus the film away from its tragic denouement and towards the remarkable life of her namesake is poorly received by her bulldozing cis male director – and that’s just the beginning of her troubles, with even the spirit of the hard-done-by historical figure involving herself through the liminal space of João’s dreams. When an opportunity to put things right arises, can the power of reclamation free past, present and future? 

Prolific multi-hyphenate director Paula Tomás Marques’s first feature is as formally daring as it is thoughtful in its wrangling with the ethics of filmmaking. Both decidedly of the now and deeply engaged in rescuing our understanding of queer history, Two Times João Liberada asks pointed questions about how we can present historical figures through a contemporary lens – and who ought to be taking that responsibility. 

“Shot in dazzling 16mm and bathed in summer light … Two Times João Liberada is a small treasure that shines brightly.” – The Film Stage