Neirud review – a mysterious family relationship that unravels Brazil’s complex social fabric

Film-maker Fernanda Faya weaves together a loving homage to her circus performer grandmother and her elusive companion

Buried secrets bubble to the surface in Brazilian film-maker Fernanda Faya’s tender and searching documentary, which seeks to disentangle the hidden knots of her fascinating family tree. The film opens with lovingly recorded home videos of various gatherings, including her childhood birthday celebrations, the only time of the year when her paternal grandmother, Nelly, would visit. A formidable woman of Roma ancestry, Nelly came from a long line of skilled circus performers, an illustrious ancestry that ended when Faya’s father did not join the family business.

One particular aspect long eluded Faya: Nelly was always seen with woman called Neirud, whom Faya called aunt, but their actual relationship was a mystery; when Neirud died, her house was emptied of all personal photos and keepsakes. Through meticulous research, Faya gradually uncovered Neirud’s story. A Black woman of towering build, she performed as a wrestler in Nelly’s circus troupe as the “gorilla woman”, a moniker that clearly traded in racial stereotypes. And yet, as with many of her peers, life as a travelling entertainer gave her a degree of freedom not afforded to other women of the time.