Madame Satã (2002)

60% of critics liked it
(42 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(1,355 ratings)

João Francisco dos Santos was a figure of no small infamy in Brazil during the 1930s -- he was a flamboyantly gay drag performer who was also a notorious criminal, thoroughly unashamed of his sexual orientation and willing to defend himself with deadly force if the situation demanded. Writer and… More João Francisco dos Santos was a figure of no small infamy in Brazil during the 1930s -- he was a flamboyantly gay drag performer who was also a notorious criminal, thoroughly unashamed of his sexual orientation and willing to defend himself with deadly force if the situation demanded. Writer and director Karim Ainouz brings dos Santos' story to the screen in this vibrant drama seasoned with music and dance. A tall and physically imposing man, dos Santos (played by Lázaro Ramos) grew up poor on the streets of Brazil; and once he reached adulthood, he shared a home in one of Rio de Janeiro's less picturesque neighborhoods with a handful of friends, including Laurita (Marcelia Cartaxo), a streetwalker; her baby daughter; Taboo (Flavio Bauraqui), a nightclub performer who sometimes turned tricks for extra cash; and Renatinho (Felippe Marques), one of dos Santos' lovers. After landing a job at a nightspot called The Blue Danube, dos Santos grew fascinated with the elaborate costumes and choreography of the stage shows, and became a singer and dancer at the club. However, when the management declined to pay him, dos Santos took matters into his own hands and demanded his salary at knifepoint, leading to the first of many stays behind bars. Upon his release, dos Santos pledged to make his name as a cross-dressing entertainer, though his fiery temper made taking advantage of him a bad idea. Madame Satã was screened as part of the "Un Certain Regard" series at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Karim Aïnouz
Written By: Karim Aïnouz
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Aug 22, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jan 13, 2004
Studio: Wellspring

Critic Reviews

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Often captivating.
Curt Fields, Washington Post
Director Karim Ainouz's film draws you in close.
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
It's a vivid, emotionally charged snapshot that makes no apologies or excuses for Madame's behavior and lifestyle.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Madame Sata is only a chapter in Francisco's story, and even that feels incomplete.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
What emerges in Aïnouz and Ramos' mesmerizing portrait of Dos Santos is a fearless man who had the courage to explore and express every aspect of his being.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
If we never really understand Joao, there is another problem with the character, and that is: He isn't very nice. I refer not to his crimes, but to the way he treats those who care for him.
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
The film's non-dramatic but exhilarating finale is what clings most memorably.
Jay Antani, Los Angeles Alternative
Ainouz' script and style seem unwilling to explore below the surface. He embraces the story's physical details...without revealing much of his subject's soul.
Kent Turner, Film-Forward.com
Actor Ramos brings an extraordinary intensity and focus to this contradictory role, changing emotions and actions on a dime.
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
Erotic, violent and bursting with colour.
Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times
A myopic, histrionic picture that never lets us know why this legendary character is legendary, and worthy of our attention.
William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
An amateurish muddle, and a whole different kind of a drag.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
While the depiction of the Lapa district and the details of repressed homosexual life in Rio 10 years ago is always intriguing, we come away learning very little about the individual known as Madame Satã.
David Foucher, EDGE Boston
Rough-hewn and vigorous, Karim Aïnouz's first feature film tells the story about an illiterate 1930s drag queen... and it's surprisingly good.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

El Hombre I

Very gritty film that takes place in the 1930's about João Francisco dos Santos, the legendary Brazilian cross gender dresser, pimp, loving father, outlaw and local hero who became Rio De Janeiro's Queen Of Carnaval in the 40's until his death in the 70's. The gay… More
Very gritty film that takes place in the 1930's about João Francisco dos Santos, the legendary Brazilian cross gender dresser, pimp, loving father, outlaw and local hero who became Rio De Janeiro's Queen Of Carnaval in the 40's until his death in the 70's. The gay sex is very raw as is the lifestyle in the Lapa district of Rio. João Francisco dos Santos lived from 1900 to 1976, adopted about a dozen children and spent some 27 years of his life in prison. Most of the story here is Joao's struggle to overcome the cruelty that comes his way because he is black, poor and gay; endlessly fighting, defending himself and getting into trouble with the law because he refuses to be treated like a second-class citizen.
Stella D

lazaro ramos was fantastic as the kickass carnival queen. a really passionate, energetic and colorful film yet not at all what you'd expect from a transvestite's biopic
Ina S

Edgy, psychologically clever film, great actors. I like the choice of period (before he became famous, in 30's Rio), Lazaro Ramos is superb. Very intense and recommendable film.