You are here:

The First Fallen

Name: The First Fallen
Director: Rodrigo de Oliveira
Released: 2021
Duration: 107 min

Representation Score

8.2/10

Excellent

2021

Director

Rodrigo de Oliveira

Runtime

107 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The First Fallen uses the historical onset of the AIDS epidemic in Brazil to explore the intersection of personal biology and societal shifts. By centering the narrative on a biologist facing physical changes, the film addresses the fragility of identity and community during a public health crisis. The film successfully provides a non-Western perspective, leveraging the complex ethnic and social fabric of 1980s Brazil. This setting allows for a critique of how traditional institutions and social norms respond to sudden, life-altering medical realities. While the focus on a male protagonist might lean towards traditional stereotypes, the emphasis on vulnerability and loss of control offers a more nuanced exploration of masculinity. The narrative effectively uses a biological crisis to drive character development and social commentary.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The First Fallen have LGBTQ+ representation?

Good

The film focuses on the 1983 AIDS crisis in Brazil, highlighting the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. It delves into the vulnerability and community struggles during a time of significant societal impact.

How does The First Fallen portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a male biologist but challenges traditional masculine stereotypes. It emphasizes themes of vulnerability and loss of bodily autonomy rather than conventional strength.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The First Fallen?

Fair

Set in 1980s Brazil, the film offers a non-Western perspective. The historical and geographical context provides a unique backdrop, diverging from the typical homogeneous settings found in period dramas.

How does The First Fallen represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative examines how social structures and institutions respond to systemic trauma. It highlights the communal struggle and the fragility of established social norms during a crisis.

Does The First Fallen include disability representation?

Good

The protagonist's experience with a changing body explores invisible disabilities and the loss of physical ability to act. The biological shift is central to his identity and drives the narrative.

Present on Screen

Deeply engages with the historical and systemic impact of the AIDS crisis on underrepresented communities.
Provides a non-Western perspective by setting the drama in 1980s Brazil.
Challenges traditional masculine stereotypes by emphasizing vulnerability and loss of bodily autonomy.

Limited or Absent

The central focus on a single male protagonist may limit the breadth of gender representation.
Details about the ethnic diversity of the supporting cast remain unspecified.

Official Synopsis

1983 — A young biologist returns home from studies abroad and feels something wrong with his body. This is the start of the AIDS crisis when the first wave of the epidemic hit Brazil. Lives will change, friends will be lost and the future is uncertain.

How are these scores produced? →