Joanna Maranhão

The documentary Olympic Women, directed by Laís Bodanzky, shows that the history of women in sport is often entwined with the history of women as a whole. While so many Brazilian women were fighting for the right to vote, to divorce, and the right to free speech, some were fighting for the right to be present at one of the biggest events on the planet: the Olympics. And something that should have been simple and natural, was not. Some Olympic appearances were dramatic. Others, isolated and lonely. Just as in society, women in sport had to earn their rights by force.

“Touch one, touch us all” is a slogan of the women who took over the streets in Brazil and organized themselves in social networks to face male chauvinist and conservatism. Through testimonies of women who have been subjected to violence, the documentary reveals that, despite legal achievements, the woman still remains vulnerable. Amongst other deponents are Maria da Penha, Joanna Maranhão, Luíza Brunet, and Clara Averbuck.