Plínio Marcos has exposed the violence, neglect, and misery in the life of an outcast boy in his 1976 novel, Uma Reportagem Maldita – Querô. The writer and playwright (1935-1999) born in Santos (São Paulo, Brazil) used his observations on the ghettos of that port city to depict young people deprived of hope. Over 40 years later, many other “Querôs” who could have a tragic fate now have another possibility, thanks to the institute named after the book’s protagonist.

Founded in 2006, Instituto Querô was created after the homonymous film directed by Carlos Cortez. At the time, 40 young people were selected for an immersion into the audiovisual universe. One of them was Jefferson Paulino, now a founding partner of the film production company Querô Filmes, which conducts several projects with alumni from Instituto Querô workshops.

One of their last productions was the movie Sócrates, telling the story of a 15-year-old black homosexual boy who lives in a ghetto in Santos Lowlands and needs to survive on his own after his mother passes away. The feature film’s world premiere will take place in Los Angeles this month. The 50 young people who participated in the production are all proud: it is the first time a Querô Filmes production is screened abroad.

Thanks to several types of funding to keep the project free of charge for students, the institute promotes, at least once a year, selection and qualification of students from public schools located in Santos Lowlands ghettos

In 2018 Mirada, young people from Querô are responsible for the coverage of formative activities. With cameras, microphones, curious eyes, and interested questions, they offer the festival audience rich, instigating material.

Watch the making-of on their coverage of the groups Sansacroma and Sankofa’s experience, Poéticas do Corpo Negro, produced by the Ponto Digital team.

 

Livia Deodato, coordinator of 2018 Mirada Ponto Digital, and Alberto Cerri, Sesc web editor