Brazilian Thiessa Woinbackk was announced as the winner of the Grand Prize for Best Performance in International Features at the 38th edition of Outfest, Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, for her film debut in Valentina, directed by Cássio Pereira dos Santos.
“Valentina is my first film, and this award is very important for the entire trans community. I am very happy and grateful!” said Thiessa while accepting the award offered by the festival via a video. Thiessa runs the influential and growing YouTube channel called Thiessita, with over 770,000 followers and around 35 million views. She is also an activist for trans rights and publishes videos on topics such as civil rights, beauty, and the importance of self-acceptance for LGBTQ adolescents.
The film is a hopeful and inspiring reflection of the real-life struggles faced by a young person seeking to embrace who they are. Cássio Pereira dos Santos’s feature film debut had its world premiere at Outfest Los Angeles and was also screened this weekend at the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The film will have a new virtual screening at Outfest next Saturday, September 5, and will also be shown at the Cine Latino Festival in Minneapolis Saint Paul in October. European and Brazilian premieres of the award-winning production will be announced soon.
Joining a powerful generation of Brazilian filmmakers known for innovating representations of sexuality and identity in cinema, Valentina helps to change the narrative of trans films through an affirmative and inspiring approach. The film shines with the performance of Thiessa Woinbackk, a renowned YouTuber who is now beginning to carve out her space as an actress.