Until the 80s there was a train taking patients with mental illnesses from the city of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, to be locked up in the big mental asylum in the town of Barbacena. This train was given the nickname of “Trem Tan Tan”. But now mental institutions in Brazil are gradually being closed down. The focus has changed from isolation to integration and Trem Tan Tan refers to a musical band. But this band is not alien to madness, or the genius that goes with it. Its members are former mental patients using music as a train taking them back to society.

The band originated from a mental health project coördinated by the musician Babilak Bah. Their 8 members( Rosilene Leandro, Olavo Rita, Edson Oliveira, Gilberto da Rocha, Mauro Camilo, Carlos Ferreira, Alexander Evangelho e Isaura da Cunha) are now celebrating a decade…