Name: Vênus de Fogo
Genre: Biography
Duration: 38 min
Cast: Giovanna Gold, Fernanda Abreu, Tuca Andrada

A very good project on AIDS in the sex worker community

"Vênus de Fogo" ("Venus of Fire") is a bold, inventive and explosive TV short film. It has something of a unique take related to AIDS prevention, unlike the many films and TV shows done at the time. This one relates to prostitutes and their work, and how women were protecting themselves with clients.

But it comes with two unusual perspectives: the suspenseful one deals with a serial killer called Celso AIDS (Tuca Andrada, hidden in all possible ways) that transmits the disease to whoever he wants, and he's challenged by Valéria (Giovanna Gold), a sex worker who owns a nightclub where she presents campaigns advocating for the use of condoms. This latter part is covered through a strange sense of humor, with a campaign revolving on prize winning condoms that glow a star at the tip: whoever finds those condoms can win the prize of choosing any of the girls from the place. The funniest bit comes from a family (wife, husband, teenage boy and girl, with her boyfriend) happily attending the place.

It's an insanely unusual educational project, filled with sex appeal, thrills and plenty of humor. Never done before and definitely hasn't been imitated. There's something of a surreal setting, mostly the dangerous man perspective, with his rituals; and there's the nightclub scenario with Valéria protecting her girls, or at least trying. There's something scary about it, just like any HIV/AIDS related topic brought to the screen at the time, but it's a little removed into giving audiences a sad, down and dirty view of how dangerous the disease was back then. The public who get the chance to see it now might feel lost because we don't see the impact of the virus, just the reaction of the characters feeling terrified. The reporting bits, with singer Fernanda Abreu playing a reporter covering the mysterious killer has something of a documentary vibe, which adds an element of fright to the story.

I like the crazed mixture of it all, though a more serious tone to the cause and how it affects prostitutes would be enough and commendable. This one is definitely a more mature view of how the disease was seen by the public, and it was destined to an adult audience (in fact, it was shown in Band Network, mostly associated with the showing of late night softcore films). It's a very good short film, tense, nervous, funny and relevant all at once. Could have use of a better ending or at least having some authority figures trying to catch the man. 9/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

Alexandre Rodrigues in City of God (2002)

The biography, or "biopic", is a genre that portrays the life story of a real person, often a notable individual or historical figure. They aim to provide a depiction of the subject's personal history, achievements, challenges, and impact on society.

Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)

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Ricardo Petráglia in Vênus de Fogo (1993)

Cristina Pereira in Vênus de Fogo (1993)

Vênus de Fogo

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