Between the self and the we:

Writing as a possibility and fabulation in cinema

Abstract

In this article, we explore, from both theoretical and methodological perspectives, the notion of escrevivência (“writing-life”), formulated by Conceição Evaristo (2007, 2020), as a political tool of resistance through which Black populations assert control over their own narratives. Our analysis focuses on the documentary Além de PRETO, VIADO (2017), which draws on the experiences of Black gay men to reflect on the individual and collective dimensions of oppression affecting these groups. We argue that the concept of escrevivência offers a reconfiguration of colonial epistemologies by centering the amplification of voices from subalternized groups—particularly enslaved Black women—while also extending to other forms of intersectionality. Escrevivência enables a perspective that connects past and present, fostering reflection on lived experience while also opening possibilities for the collective construction of futures.