Housemaids

Seven Brazilian teenagers from diverse backgrounds film their housemaids in this provocative work on race and class, an update to Black Girl. “Housemaids is humorous and sensitive, whilst also managing to be a profound work of denunciation . . . This is a rare example of recent Brazilian cinema that is capable of unsettling the very core of anyone who sees it” (Folha de São Paulo). Director Mascaro’s assemblage of the teens' home movies profiles the maids’ everyday work as well as their intimate reflections, “uncovering a dynamic that goes back to the times of slavery and provides us with a glimpse into the evolution of Brazilian society” (IDFA).