Flavia Santana

Started in the 1980s, the successful heritage listing process that preserves the architectural history of the Bixiga neighborhood is constantly at risk, but continues to be defended by the community. When a construction on a subway line reveals material traces of the existence of the first urban quilombo recognized in the state's history, the Afro-descendant community and allies come together in an attempt to avoid yet another erasure of their history. The documentary is a portrait of the various popular resistance initiatives in one of the most diverse and culturally vibrant neighborhoods in the capital of São Paulo.

During work on the orange subway line in the Bixiga neighborhood, in the city of São Paulo, archaeological sites were found with great potential to reveal more evidence about the black presence in this region. Mainly, due to the fact that this occupation is repeatedly erased to the detriment of the memories that emphasize the Italian community that also started to live in the neighborhood from the last years of the 19th century. The documentary seeks to understand what is at stake with the subway works and what challenges the neighborhood will face in the coming years.