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New Amsterdam

Name: New Amsterdam
Director: Edson Soares
Released: 2017
Duration: 110 min

Representation Score

3.6/10

Limited

2017

APPROVED

Director

Edson Soares

Runtime

110 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

New Amsterdam is a historical drama that uses the tension of colonial contact to drive its plot. It avoids celebratory imperialist clichés by highlighting the chaos of conquest. The film succeeds in centering a female perspective and addressing the complexities of multi-ethnic colonial conflict. However, the narrative lacks depth regarding specific underrepresented identities. While it critiques systemic expansion, it remains limited by a lack of representation for LGBTQ+ and disabled communities.

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Category Breakdown

Does New Amsterdam have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a passionate romance between Bernarda and Rafael. There is no indication of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does New Amsterdam portray gender?

Fair

Bernarda serves as the central protagonist, navigating displacement and systemic violence. Her strong role and emotional resilience offer a departure from passive female roles in traditional historical stories.

How racially and ethnically diverse is New Amsterdam?

Good

The story explores the clash between West Indian, German, and local forces. It delves into the impact of European expansion on social structures and the collision of different ethnic groups.

How does New Amsterdam represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative portrays the arrival of West Indian companies as a violent disruption rather than a civilizing mission. It highlights the lived experiences of those affected by imperial expansion.

Does New Amsterdam include disability representation?

Minimal

The provided context contains no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Centers a female protagonist navigating systemic violence and displacement.
Challenges traditional imperialist narratives by highlighting the chaos of conquest.
Explores complex colonial power dynamics through a multi-ethnic cast.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.
Provides no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
The female lead's ability to drive the plot independently of conflict is unverified.

Official Synopsis

The arrival of the West Indian Companies to Natal in the XVII century is just the beginning of this violent story that pushes Bernarda and her family to run away from the city and from the invasion. In the Potengi Mill she meets the foreman's son Rafael and they immediately discover a passionate love. It will give them the force to try to survive during those violent years triggered by Jacob Rabbí, a German assigned by Prince John Maurice of Nassau to command the conquest.

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