Chica Barbosa is a Mexican-Brazilian filmmaker based in Los Angeles, US. Her work focuses on non-fiction cinema, experimental and hybrid narratives, addressing themes like immigration, colonization, displacement, LGBTQ+ rights, identity and faith as an act of resistance. She also directs branded content and music videos, always looking to work with a diverse crew behind and in front of the cameras.
She recently moved from São Paulo, Brazil, where she was part of the Film Collective “Cinefusão'' and where she started her own production company "En Caliente Films”, since 2014. She directed the short films “Ferroada” (Bite) and “La Flaca” (The Bony Lady) - a hybrid short film about a Mexican transgender woman and leader of the Santa Muerte religious movement in Queens, NY; the film won several awards and entered over 100 film festivals around the world. In 2020, she directed, along with Fernanda Pessoa, the short film “Same/Different/Both/Neither”, which premiered in the Short Competition of IDFA - International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and was also shortlisted in the IDA Awards. She is currently releasing her second feature documentary “Swing and Sway”, directed along with Fernanda Pessoa, selected to the Arts Talent Market at the Sheffield Doc Fest, Arché Lab (part of the Doc Lisboa Film Festival Industry hub) and Ji.hlava New Visions Forum: U.S. Docs in the Czech Republic.
- La Flaca (The Bony Lady) Trailer
A short documentary by Adriana Barbosa & Thiago Zanato
20 min. | U.S., Brazil, Mexico | 2018Arely Vazquez is a Mexican transgender woman and leader of the Saint Death Cult living in Queens, New York. During her yearly celebration to "La Flaca" (The Bony Lady), as she likes to call her, Arely faces a lot of challenges to fulfill a promise she made ten years ago.
· Best Short Film, 'VICE en Español' Award - Programa de Diversidad Sexual + FICM Morelia (Mexico, 2018)
· Best International Short Film Award - Espacio Queer ( Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2019)
· Best International Short Film Award - Amor Festival Internacional de Cine LGBT+ (Santiago/ Antofogasta, Chile, 2019)
· Best Documentary Short Film Award - Seattle Latino Film Festival. (USA, 2019)
· Best Documentary Short Film Award - Tacoma Film Festival (USA, 2019)
· Best Documentary Short Film Award and Best Short Film Award at FESAALP - Festival de Cine Latinoamericano de La Plata (Argentina, 2019)
· Honorary Mention for Artistic Contribution at the 3 Margens - Festival Latino-americano de Cinema (Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, 2019)Selections: Fribourg International FF, Guanajuato International FF, Message to Man, International FF, Queer Lisboa, International FF, Beijing International Short Film Festival, New Orleans FF, Kasseler Dokfest, NewFest New York's LGBT FF, SVA Film & Media Festival, MixBrasil, International LGBTQ FF, Havana FF, Short Waves FestivaL, Outfest Fusion LGBTQ People of Color FF, Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam LGBTQ FF, Festival de Films de Femmes de Créteil, Chicago Latino Film Festival, IFEMA, International Female FF Malmö, Mecal Pro, Barcelona International Short and Animation Festival, Cine Las Américas, International FF. Inside Out Toronto LGBT FF, Lakino, Latin American Short FF Berlin. Rooftoop Film Festival, Sicilia Queer FF, FRAMELINE, San Francisco International LGBTQ FF, Contrast FF, Dam These Heels LGBTQ FF, MICGénero, Melgaço Documentary FF, LALIFF Los Angeles Latino FF, Boston Women's FF, OUTFEST Los Angeles LGBTQ FF, Festival de Cinéma de la Ville de Québec, Encounters FF, Boston Latino International FF, Everybody's Perfect LGBTQ FF, BOGOCINE -Festival de Cine de Bogotá, MIDBO, Muestra Int'l de Cine Documental, Lausanne Film & Music Festival, Berlin Feminist Film Week, Filministes FF, San Diego Latino Film Festival, Melbourne Queer Film Festival.