Obscuro Barroco blends documentary and fiction in a lyrical quest for the self through continuous metamorphoses. The words and body of the late iconic transgender activist Luana Muniz travel through the vibrant streets of a nocturnal Rio de Janeiro, more mysterious and seductive than ever. The carnival, challenge to gender norms and political protest are all means to reach a deeply intimate, and at the same time collective, transformation.
Larger-than-life actress, cabaret performer, activist, and proud sex professional since the age of eleven, Luana Muniz - arguably one of Brazil's most famous transgender personalities - shaped a new reality in her hostel by providing a safe working environment for generations of young transgendered girls in neighborhood of Lapa in Rio de Janeiro. Queen of Lapa explores the women's day-to-day lives, quests for love, the Brazilian political climate, housemate rivalries, all under matriarch Muniz's watchful and guiding eye.