Márcia Pantera

BATE CABELO! unveils the story of an artistic creation that became a living symbol of memory, embodiment, and resistance.

Ten years after the end of the dance music duo Verona, Elias come back to Brazil to meet his former partner, Walter, who is going to marry the young and talented Filipe. Walter lives in a countryside house, where he celebrates the end of his youth and the beginning of a new moment in his life.

Elias is a handsome young deputy manager in a garment factory in São Paulo. When he’s not working, he enjoys casual encounters in the big city. The arrival of a young African, Fernando, on the production line piques his interest and Elias finds himself increasingly drawn into socialising with his work colleagues.

Reporter Julião Siqueira, tired of being a joke at the station he works for, teams up with cameraman Yasmin to investigate a human trafficking complaint involving drag queen Lohanny and Nordrags agency. For this, the two will head into the world of Drag Queens.

This Brazilian documentary follows four drag‑queen artists — Tchaka, Hellena Borgys, Márcia Pantera and Vera Ronzella — as they share their personal journeys, performances and identities. Filmed between late 2022 and early 2023, the film explores both the celebratory, glamorous side of drag performance and the challenges these performers face (prejudice, resistance, the work of building a public art identity). Beginning with their stories and everyday lives, the documentary invites viewers into their creative worlds — how each developed their persona, how they navigate their art in society, and how they claim their truth on stage and off.