Her Name Was Gisberta
Her Name Was Gisberta (360/VR)
Portuguese
with English subtitles
with English subtitles
- VR Headset / Tablet / Smartphone
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Seu Nome Era Gisberta
Her Name Was Gisberta (2023)
Immersive / 360° Video | 2D
30 min - Documentary
LGBTQIA+ / Social Activism
Portuguese with English Subtitles
“Seu Nome Era Gisberta / Her Name Was Gisberta”
is a VR/2D documentary that portrays the life and death of Gisberta Salce, a Brazilian Trans woman murdered by 14 young men (12 - 16 years old) in the city of Porto (Portugal) in 2006. Uniting the knowledge provided by Virtual Reality Perspective-Taking Tasks, this project was created as a tool of education, social intervention and activism against transphobia.
“Surprises me to be alive myself. Considering my path, the most likely scenario would have been for me to have been murdered, like Gisberta, like Venezuela, like so many others who remained anonymous.”
Jó Bernardo
(Portuguese Trans Activist and Gisberta’s friend)
With all our hearts, we wish this XR experience/documentary had never existed.
This experience should be a celebration of Gisberta’s extraordinary life, narrated by her own voice and co-created with her.
Gisberta should be here, wearing her Texan boots and telling stories, like she always loved to do.
All we have instead is silence, sadness, anger and an unsolvable puzzle of what really happened with her.
In 2024, the building was demolished and now Gisberta has a street named after her.
But nothing will ever be enough.
So, presenting this project is bittersweet…
In a world where LGBTQIA+ rights, especially for trans people, are still a daily struggle and where we witness so much violence toward trans lives, we believe it is our responsibility to keep creating, mediating, and educating for better coexistence and social justice.
Brazil remains an unfortunate epicenter of Trans assassinations globally for the 16th year in a row (ANTRA, 2025).
This project was created by a team of three LGBTQIA+ creators [Sérgio, Alexia, and Pedro] without any financial or technical support but with a lot of dedication and respect.
Drawing from thorough research and interviews with close friends, LGBTQ+ activists, queer institutions, and fellow artists, it wouldn’t be possible to do it without collaboration.
We want to highlight Rute Bianca and Jó Bernardo, two Portuguese trans activists who were incredibly kind and generous in sharing their experiences and their relationship with Gisberta.
This project is dedicated:
– To Gisberta
– To all the people who were victims of transphobia and now only live on in our memory.
– To those who were never identified.
– To the trans community that fights every day for their existence.
Project Description
Gisberta Salce, also known as Gis, was a Trans Woman who immigrated to Portugal in search of a place where she could express her true identity without fear. This powerful documentary reenacts her remarkable journey, tragically culminating in one of the most publicized Transphobic attacks in Portuguese history.
Crafted with the intention of shedding light on the dangers of Transphobia, this project employs techniques from social psychology, such as Virtual Reality Perspective Taking-Tasks (Van Loon et al., 2018) and Empathy studies.
By harnessing the potential of VR for social education and intervention against Transphobia, it serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to combat prejudice.
Focused on the Brazilian society, which shares Gisberta’s nationality and stands as the unfortunate epicenter of Trans assassinations globally for the 16th year running (ANTRA, 2025), this art activism initiative seeks to unveil Gisberta’s untold story and raise awareness about the imperative to protect Trans individuals worldwide.
“A story without a middle”
This documentary challenges the narrative propagated by Portuguese media. Drawing from meticulous research encompassing 68 news articles, it weaves Gisberta’s life story that was largely omitted from mainstream discourse. The narrative is curated from interviews with close friends, LGBTQ+ activists, queer institutions, and fellow artists.
Presented in five acts, viewers embark on an immersive journey through Gisberta’s 45-year life. The experience is enriched by a symbolic narration by Trans Brazilian Woman, Alexia Vitória. Her voice guides viewers not to emulate Gisberta’s voice but to amplify the collective voice of Transphobia’s victims.
Created by a dedicated trio of queer artists – Sérgio Galvão Roxo (Director, Writer, Animator, Editor), Pedro Velho (Illustrator, Writer, Director Assistant), and Alexia Vitória (Narrator) – this project stands as a grassroots endeavor without external funding.
Our aim is to foster education and consciousness, illuminating not only the life tragically lost to Transphobia but also the imperative to safeguard Trans lives across the globe.
Press
Screenings (VR)
10-15 October 2023
24-29 October 2023
9-12 March 2024
5-14 April 2024
Kaboom Animation Festival
VR Projects
Utrecht & Amsterdam, Netherlands
VR Projects
Utrecht & Amsterdam, Netherlands
4-6 June 2024
RIO2C - Rio Creative Conference
XR Experiences
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
XR Experiences
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
24-17 June 2024
Sunny Side of the Doc
Studio Oficial Selection
La Rochelle, France
Studio Oficial Selection
La Rochelle, France
15-21 July 2024
Anibar International Animation Festival
VR Program
Peja, Kosovo
VR Program
Peja, Kosovo
6-10 November 2024
24FRAME Future Film Fest
New Frontiers Competition
Bologna & Modena, Italy
New Frontiers Competition
Bologna & Modena, Italy
19-24 November 2024
Festival MixBrasil
MIX.XR
MIX.XR Award - Special Mention
São Paulo, Brazil
MIX.XR
MIX.XR Award - Special Mention
São Paulo, Brazil
23 November 2024
DescubreXR
Creatividad Expandida
Madrid, Spain
Creatividad Expandida
Madrid, Spain
19-30 March 2025
Roze Filmdagen
Immersive
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Immersive
Amsterdam, Netherlands
6 June 2025
Queer Visions - VR Film Screening
BOZAR - Center for Fine Arts
Brussels, Belgium
BOZAR - Center for Fine Arts
Brussels, Belgium
Screenings (2D)
24 June - 1 July 2024
FEST - New Directors | New Films Festival
Winner - National Grand Prix Competition
Espinho, Portugal
Winner - National Grand Prix Competition
Espinho, Portugal
6-8 September 2024
Prishtina Queer Festival
Prishtina, Kosovo
Prishtina, Kosovo
20-28 September 2024
Queer Lisboa
QL Short Film Competion
Lisboa, Portugal
QL Short Film Competion
Lisboa, Portugal
4-6 October 2024
Fértil
Olhão, Portugal
Olhão, Portugal
7-19 December 2024
40th LGBT Film Festival Ljubljana
Short Film Series
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Short Film Series
Ljubljana, Slovenia
14 -22 February 2025
AMPLA
4th Showcase of Award-Winning Films
Lisboa, Portugal
4th Showcase of Award-Winning Films
Lisboa, Portugal
30 May - 15 June 2025
Queer Terceira
Angra of Heroismo, Portugal
Angra of Heroismo, Portugal
24 June 2025
Shortcutz Lisboa
Lisboa, Portugal
Lisboa, Portugal
Credits
Special Thanks to
Jó Bernardo, Rute Bianca, Sérgio Vitorino, João Paulo,
Jo Schedlbauer, Thiago Carvalhaes, Paulo Patricio,
Centro de Documentação Gonçalo Diniz (ILGA Portugal),
Grupo de Reflexão e Intervenção Trans (GRIT),
TransUnifesp and Polytechnic University of Leiria.
Credits
Director: Sérgio Galvão Roxo
Assistant Director: Pedro Velho
Screenplay: Pedro Velho & Sérgio Galvão Roxo
Narrator/Voice: Alexia Vitória
Illustrator: Pedro Velho
Animator: Sérgio Galvão Roxo
Editor: Sérgio Galvão Roxo
Sound: Pedro Velho & Sérgio Galvão Roxo