An actress portrays Liberada, a transgender nun persecuted by the Portuguese Inquisition in the
eighteenth century. For the director, Liberada is a victim; for the actress, she is a figure of
strength and defiance. Their conflict deepens when the ghost of Liberada starts to haunt the
actress and the director is struck by a mysterious paralysis. This compact meta-film interlaces
themes ranging from artistic ambition at odds with responsibility to reality, to the representation
of trans identity in a historical context.
Paula Tomás Marques
The Portuguese director and lecturer studied directing and cinematography in Lisbon, later
completing a master’s degree in sociology and film studies in San Sebastián. She works across
short films that explore themes of gender, sexuality, and historiography, and is also active as a
cinematographer and editor.
An actress portrays Liberada, a transgender nun persecuted by the Portuguese Inquisition in the
eighteenth century. For the director, Liberada is a victim; for the actress, she is a figure of
strength and defiance. Their conflict deepens when the ghost of Liberada starts to haunt the
actress and the director is struck by a mysterious paralysis. This compact meta-film interlaces
themes ranging from artistic ambition at odds with responsibility to reality, to the representation
of trans identity in a historical context.
Paula Tomás Marques
The Portuguese director and lecturer studied directing and cinematography in Lisbon, later
completing a master’s degree in sociology and film studies in San Sebastián. She works across
short films that explore themes of gender, sexuality, and historiography, and is also active as a
cinematographer and editor.
eighteenth century. For the director, Liberada is a victim; for the actress, she is a figure of
strength and defiance. Their conflict deepens when the ghost of Liberada starts to haunt the
actress and the director is struck by a mysterious paralysis. This compact meta-film interlaces
themes ranging from artistic ambition at odds with responsibility to reality, to the representation
of trans identity in a historical context.
Paula Tomás Marques
The Portuguese director and lecturer studied directing and cinematography in Lisbon, later
completing a master’s degree in sociology and film studies in San Sebastián. She works across
short films that explore themes of gender, sexuality, and historiography, and is also active as a
cinematographer and editor.