Caru Alves de Souza’s second feature My Name is Baghdad (Meu Nome é Bagdá) follows 17-year-old skater Baghdad whose coming-of-age story explores femininity, the strength of sisterhood, the energy of love and the journey to finding your community.
With a soundtrack that oozes youthful exuberance, the film drops you into the vibrant world of teen skaters in Freguesia do Ó, a working-class neighbourhood in the outskirts of São Paolo. Bearing witness to the socio-economic realities of this community, as well as the need for female solidarity, we see Baghdad forge a space for herself within this primarily male crew until her life changes after meeting an all-femme skate crew.
My Name is Baghdad won the top prize, the Crystal Bear for best film, in the Generation 14plus sidebar of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival.
- Azarin Sohrabkhani