By Roger Costa
MARS ONE
Brazil’s official entry for next year’s Oscars is a masterwork of empathy and compassion, an inspiring ode to the power of family bond, a wondrous look at the dreams that keep us moving and gives us hope. Centered on the emotions and struggle of a Black Brazilian family living in Contagem, Minas Gerais, this is the solo directorial debut of Gabriel Martins, the first Black filmmaker to have his film submitted for the Oscars. He is a magnificent storyteller and social visionary, a promising voice in Latin American cinema. Martins is a member and collaborator of the production company Filmes de Plastico. He has co-written and co-directed a couple of productions which gained him respect and acclaim throughout world festivals. They usually depict their native town’s perspectives, focusing on stories of neighborhood bonds and conflicts. With this sensitive, utterly honest and incredibly performed drama, Martins rises to the top, as the freshest and most committed filmmaker currently working in Brazil. Through his candid eyes, we are immersed in the lives of this family, a mother dealing with a traumatic experience, a father persevering on his goals and duties, a young daughter coming out with her lesbian relationship, and the young son who dreams of becoming an astronaut rather than a soccer star as his father wishes. Each one of them will have to face the hurdles and challenges of their dreams, aspirations and expectations, while remaining faithful to their family principles. The actors are fascinating and their chemistry generates an immediate connection to the viewer. You instantly become fond of them, rooting for them to overcome their disappointments. Since it was discovered early this year in Sundance, this remarkably humane drama has been garnering praises and awards throughout many Festivals, taking home LA OutFest’s Grand Jury Award and San Francisco Film Festival’s Audience Award, as well as Gramado’s Best Screenplay among others. Martins precisely addresses the classes divisions making an alarming crosscut on the perennial social, economic and political crisis in Brazil. His perceptive, deeply engaged and compassionate lenses are unique characteristics that makes him an authentic, timely voice in Latin American Cinema.
RULE 34
A respected writer, director and editor, Rio-born Julia Murat went from a singular, delicate filmmaker to become one of the boldest and most courageous female filmmakers of her generation. Her feature debut, the poetic and contemplative “Found Memories” demonstrated her sensibility and affinity with the feminine universe in transition, movement and self-exploration. Her sophomore work, “Pendular”, which won the FIPRESCI award in Berlin, introduced us to a more mature filmmaker, switching focus to a profound study on human relationships, the possibilities of sexuality, the artistic evolution and the complications of co-dependence. With “Rule 34” her third feature narrative which won the Best Film Award at this year’s Locarno, Murat seems to spread her wings even farther, as if for an instance a shy filmmaker finally found her voice, breaking barriers and gender stigmas and setting herself free with a unique, utterly courageous and naturalistic artistic approach. An intellectual, socially-committed and sexually-charged drama depicting the intense life and sexual, sadomasochist experiences of a law student, her two lovers and successful sex-webcam gig, Murat explores violence and abuse, pleasure and aspirations with the same sensibility that characterized her early work, but now with a stronger sense of control over her material. Delivering honest performances, an intricated narrative supported by a gripping psychological tension and subtly pointing to racial, sexual and moral issues haunting Brazilian society, as well as the fractures of the justice system and behavior standards defying Millennials, it certainly confirms the bravery of a distinguished filmmaker embracing her artistry. It is a scandalously erotic, smooth, provoking and thoughtful look at a woman’s personal odyssey into her desires and aspirations.
UYRA- THE RISING FOREST
Winner of the Special Programming Award at this year’s LA Outfest, writer/director/producer Juliana Curi’s engaging documentary exposes the fight against transphobia and ethnical racism in the margins of the Amazon River. Following a trans performer artist who goes on a journey through the forest intending to educate their own people on the fight against racism of all sorts, including their sexuality and ethnicity, the film paints a lively, inspiring and transformative portrait of what it feels to be queer in Bolsonaro’s Brazil. Beautifully capturing their spiritual connection to the land, the rituals and ancestry traditions nourished by a courageous new generation, it is an immersive and dazzling experience that raises awareness for one of the most defenseless people in the world, and the respect they’ve been denied of.
(The 34th NewFest NYC LGBTQ+ Film Festival runs October 13-25 with In-Person Screenings in Manhattan and Brooklyn and Virtually nationwide. Go to https://newfest.org/festival/ for schedule, tickets and details.)
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