Powerful short film ‘The Cure’ illuminates Brazil’s battle against gay conversion therapy
The dramatic short seeks to mobilize support for legislative action and consign conversion therapy to the annals of history.
In the realm of awareness-building, few mediums wield as much potential for impact as film. ‘The Cure,’ a chilling short produced by the progressive Brazilian publisher Editora Taverna, stands as a compelling testament to this truth.
With a narrative that is equally harrowing and urgent, ‘The Cure’ casts a spotlight on the pernicious practice of conversion therapy in Brazil. Through its dramatic portrayal, the film lays bare the atrocities perpetrated under the guise of “gay conversion therapy.”
Viewers are confronted with scenes of LGBTQ+ individuals subjected to torture and psychological torment in the name of “treatment.” At its conclusion, a title card implores, “Let’s make conversion therapy a crime.”
Brazil, like many countries, has long grappled with conversion therapy. The controversial approval of “gay conversion therapy” by Brazilian judge Waldemar de Carvalho in 2017 incited national outrage, as reported by The Guardian.
As the film reveals, one in every three therapists in Brazil currently attempts to subject their LGBTQ+ patients to conversion practices.
However, recent legislative efforts signal a watershed moment. At the time of the film’s premier, the Brazilian National Congress was considering a bill aimed at criminalizing conversion therapy.
The genesis of ‘The Cure’ is rooted in amplifying the voices of those affected by this practice and draws inspiration from the investigative book, ‘Gay Cure: There Is No Cure for What is Not a Disease,’ by Marcos Sergio Silva and Jean Ícaro.
The film was created in collaboration with São Paulo-based ad agency Africa Creative (Agencia Africa), which is part of Omnicom Group’s DDB Worldwide.
The Cure is poised to reach an even broader audience, with plans for distribution across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
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