Instituto Federal São Paulo, Suzano (IFSPS)

Place: Suzano, a district on the outskirts of SP State

Attendees: Students mostly aged 16-18; members of staff

Debate speakers: Lee and Sam

This one was organised by Gabi, an IFSPS student who also attends Cursinho Popular Martin Luther King. These schools have federal money and are free, but require an exam to get in. They mix secondary and university education, and focus on technical skills as well as the normal curriculum. Those in their mid-teens can be studying alongside university students. What an inspirational place! On the way, we were thinking maybe it was too much because we were tired from the workshop/ screening tight schedule. But arriving at this place, Gabi, who is a student there and had seen the film previously at CPMLK (hence why she invited us there), was just so nice and welcoming. It was beautiful there too. They really made the effort. She had managed to get about 100 people to stay behind school to watch it.

In the Q and A, one girl made such a profound point that I almost cried. She said that the film made her realise something: she always thought that people in Rocinha died from bullets. But that in fact many are “scared to death.” She said the film showed a vision of Brazil she had never seen before.

At this screening it was noted, (and would become the most noted scene over all the screening debates), is when Rosangela says she finishes work and “for a small time people do not see me as a cleaner but almost like a tourist walking through the shopping mall.” One boy, Iuri, said Rosangela reminds him of his own mum and all the dreams she had. He was very teary. Another boy said that it made him think we have to stop saying "them" because it is "us". "We all live in the same house in Brazil.” After the screenings, there was lots of hugs, as became a pattern. As with all the other screenings, there has really been a celebratory atmosphere afterwards. Gabi wants the school to have a USB in their library for the students to be able to use the film or lend it out. São Paulo is so big, so the journey home was a few hours, but was with two of the history professors from there.