THE DEVIL QUEEN
by António Carlos Fontoura. 1974, Brazil, 99 min.
In celebration of Juneteenth and Pride Month, Alfreda’s Cinema and Rockaway Film Festival present The Devil Queen, a provocative jewel of 1970s Brazilian cinema. Centering a powerful Black drag queen crime boss, Antonio Carlos da Fontoura’s cult classic is a vibrant exploration of queerness, race, and resistance in Rio's criminal underbelly, where crime is often met with a vicious end.
“Anchored by Milton Gonçalves’ commanding performance, The Devil Queen is a radical assertion of identity and survival. Screening this work during Juneteenth weekend honors the complexity of Black liberation while celebrating queer resilience and joy.
“This collaboration uplifts Alfreda’s Cinema’s mission to spotlight boundary-pushing cinema from across the Black diaspora—making space for stories too often erased, yet deeply enduring.” – Melissa Lyde, Alfreda’s Cinema.
Special thanks to Antonio Carlos da Fontoura and William Cardoso Plotnick/Cinelimite.
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Our Sponsors
Rockaway Film Festival would like to thank VBX™~Vernam Basin Terminal for generously hosting us at the Arverne and Annex Cinemas in addition to BBX™~Barbadoes Basin Terminal for contributing to such.
We are proud to be sponsored by Blundstone®, Istic Illic Pictures, and NYC Ferry. Rockaway Film Festival made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Rockaway Film Festival is funded in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Art. We receive additional support from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.