Colonial Desires: Gilberto Freyre’s erotic fantasy in Brazilian cinema (original) (raw)

This paper intends to discuss the notion of colonial desires in Brazilian cinema via a critical approach to the work of Gilberto Freyre. The point of departure is Xica da Silva (1976), by Cacá Diegues. If, in the fi lm by the cinemanovista director, Freyre's erotic fantasy is activated in order to exalt the lust of the colonial period by the way of the sexualization of the black protagonist, in some feature fi lms from the last decade (2010-2020), Freyre is mobilized both to illustrate the violence of colonization, as well as to allude to current racial tensions and inequalities, whether through fetishistic, sadistic or even non-violent scenes. Vazante (2017), by Daniela Thomas, Açúcar (2017), by Renata Pinheiro and Sergio Oliveira, Joaquim (2017) by Marcelo Gomes, The good manners (2017), by Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra, and The Cannibal Club (2018), by Guto Parente, are some of the recent fi lms that staged interracial sexual relations based on Freyre's erotic arsenal, although producing folds in this hegemonic narrative.