The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 11, 1988-- Page 9 Vera portrays the trap of gender stereotypes BY MARK SHAIMAN Ana Beatriz Nogueria deservedly won the Best Female Actor Award at the 1987 Berlin Film Festival for her portrayal of the title character in Vera. When the film began, I couldn't tell if Vera was male or fe- male, and even once the answer be- came known, I still questioned it in my mind. But this is because Vera herself constantly questions her sexuality, and because Nogueria is able to outwardly convey this inner frustration so well. Vera, who prefers to be addressed by the more masculine name of Bauer, longs to be a man. Writer/director Sergio Toledo ex- plores both sides of Vera's personal- ity by following her struggles to peacefully coexist in society and in- terspersing this with flashbacks of her life at the all-female orphan- age/reform school that she had re- cently left, upon turning 18. This is Toledo's debut as a direc- tor, but his previous work shows that he is capable of, and experienced with, handling such a delicate sub- ject. Toledo was assistant director to H=ector Babenco on the critically ac- claimed filmThe Kiss of the Spider- woman, which dealt with male ho- mosexuality in a Brazilian prison.Vera, too, takes place in Brazil, and like Kiss, the theme tran- scends any nation's borders. In fact, the opening scene is a distant view of an American rocket' launch, with familiar-sounding (Vera's) clothing is only a representative problem, used as a metaphor for the amount of importance placed on appearances and nct on the true self. der and sexual preference. The rest of the film continues to support and strengthen this metaphor. In the orphanage for girls, there is a definite schism between the inhabitants and the workers. The girls band together so that they can face the oppression of the male em- ployees who need to show their au- thority in self-serving ways, such as not allowing the girls to wear pants. When the girls take a stand against this, they're punished with solitary confinement. Outside the orphanage, Bauer is confronted with the even more diffi- cult problem of dealing with such situations by herself. At her new job, her co-workers are already disturbed by her lack of discretion, so when she shows up at her job in a men's suit - outdressing her male co- workers - all the co-workers call for her dismissal. But her clothing is only a representative problem, used as a metaphor for the amount of impor- tance placed on appearances and not on the true self. Even Bauer has fallen into this trap. Until her lover accuses her of being too much like a stereotypical male who needs to dominate a relationship, she doesn't realize the facade that she has adopted. Bauer needs to find some kind of balance to her life, again creating an- other metaphor between this character and the rest of the world. Unfortu- nately, this film holds the view that k t 4 NASA voices streaming through the sound of the engines. This has no direct relationship to the plot, but instead it is a truly effective metaphor for the world we all share. In a time when some thoughts are futuristic enough to put people in space, other thoughts are backwards enough to put people in separate-and- not-equal categories due to their gen- Ana Beatriz Nogueria portrays a lesbian woman who battles confusion over her sexual role, both on her own part and society's, in Sergio Toledo's Vera. the world is not ready to be unified. But films likeVera may help to pro- vide the understanding that is the necessary first step toward changing the world. The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative presents VERA tonight at 7 and 8:45 p.m. at MLB Auditorium 4. Tickets are $250. ----' \ .. -.- Let Them Know How You Feel ! I DAILY PERSONALS 764-0557' SPECIAL SPRING BREAK TRIP SPRING TERM IN NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW ENGLAND LITERATURE PROGRAM Earn credit as you study Thoreau, Emerson, Frost, Hawthorne- in their native habitat. Cancun $589.00 per person Feb. 25- Mar. 4, 1988 $75.00 will hold your reservation. Includes round-trip air, 7 nights in a beach hotel, close to the Hard Rock Cafe, transfers and taxis! Call Now! Space Limited! Shouting out with Glee... The University Glee Club (in the spiffy suits above) will present its 12th annual fall concert Saturday at 8 p.m 'at Hill Auditorium. Tickets are on sale at the Hill box office. MASS MEETING & SLIDE SHOW Tuesday, November 15, 8:00 pm AUD. C, ANGELL HALL For Further Information, Call 662-9895 between 7&8 pm. 663-3434 475 Market Place HORIZONS """",TRAVEL, INC. U .___ CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. Whatever college degree you earn, the Navy can help you make the most of it. As a Navy officer, you'll lead the adven- MSA ELECTIONS 0 I NOVEMBER 1 51 & 16 _..._- . POLLING SITES AND SCHEDULE ture. You'll get advanced training and managment experience as you advance your career in: Financial Management Inventory Control/Purchasing Personal Administration Systems Analysis You must have a BA/BS degree, be no more than 28 years old, pass an aptitude test and physical exami- nation and be a U.S. citizen. Your benefits package includes 30 days' annual vacation, medical/dental/ low-cost life insurance coverage plus many tax-free incentives. If you're interested in taking the lead, per- sonally and professionally, call the Navy Managment Program at: 1-800-922-1703 LOCATION: EECS DOW Fishbowl Union Public Health Rackham East Quad South Quad West Quad Bursley UGLi Grad Med Sci East Engineering LS&A MLB Frieze Alice Lloyd MoJo Stockwell Markley Couzens Law Quad Business Lounae TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15 8:15-12:45 12:00-3:45 9:00-4:00 9:15-3:30 7:00-10:30 11:15-1:15 4:00-8:00 12:30-1:30 4:15-6:00 11:30-1:15 11:15-1:45 4:30-6:15 4:45-6:30' 10:00-2:00 7:00-10:30 7:15-10:45 9:30-12:00 9:45-1:45 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 12:30-3:45 9:45-1:00 10:30-3:15 9:15-2:45 6:00-7:45 4:15-8:00 4:30-5:30 4:45-5:45 5:00-6:00 5:15-6:15 10:00-2:00 6:15-8:00 6:00-7:45 y 10:30-1:00 10:45-1:15 4:15-6:00 4:30-6:15 4:45-6:30 5:15-7:00 5:00-6:45 9:00-11:00 1n.1 - .1 - - n 10:15-3:30 9:30-12:00 10:45-1:15 4:45-5:45 5:00-6:00 5:15-6:15 5:30-6:30 4:30-5:30 4n. - .P . .