QUICK AND DIRTY: LIVE FROM BERLIN

The action takes place in Porto Alegre, a hustling and bustling metropolis in Southern Brazil. Twenty-something and extremely good-looking Matias (Gabriel Faryas) has recently arrived from the countryside to work as an actor, and he wants to make it big. He lives with Fabio (Henrique Barreira), an equally beautiful and ambitious man of around his age. They both work for the local theatre troupe, and they are rehearsing for a major performance. The two men, who also happen to be flatmates, must vie for the top position at the end of the play, while also attracting the attention of casting agent Pamela. The woman recruits for television, and she might have something much bigger for them in store. The problem is that they might have to pay a very high price, and sacrifice much of their personal lives in order to achieve their goal. The dream of many young actors in Brazil is to land a job in a series or soap opera. The country has a strong celebrity culture directly linked to television.

Rafael (Cirillo Luna) is a conventionally attractive man, and a little older than Matias. They meet on a gay app, and immediately have sex in a sumptuous palace somehow somehow connected to Rafael’s work. Risk is the most vital catalyst for their libido. Thy reprise such encounters in various other places: a cruising, a cliff overlooking the city, a car park, and more. A video strip-tease and a wank during an important meeting also helps the two to satiate their hunger for danger. Matias is about to find out that Rafael is politician with meteoric rise, and possibly Porto Alegre’s new mayor. His mainstream looks and irresistible smile make him the perfect poster boy (literally, as his face picture is printed on billboards all over town). Rafael’s overprotective, trigger-happy henchman steps in in order to ensure that nothing derails his campaign.

The aspiring mayor is a closeted gay man. Brazil is no longer a rabidly homophobic country: countless LGBT+ celebrities and politicians are very open about their sexuality. Yet the fact that Rafael has not yet made it into office, combined with the sexual exhibitionism, and perhaps an element of racism (Matias is Black), could make their relationship unacceptable to his prospective voters. Brazil’s only openly gay governor Eduardo Leite was forced out of the closet only after he was elected for office in Rio Grande do Sul (the state where Night Stage takes place). Rafael’s character seems to be a nod to Leite. The two man share a very remote physical resemblance, or at the very least the perfectly preened, alpha male look.

One twist after the other helps to justifies for the film’s duration of nearly two hours. Matias, Rafael and Fabio will do anything in order to achieve their career ambitions, be that in politics or in acting. They are prepared to cheat, lie and perhaps even more. None of them is particularly evil, yet all of them are morally flawed. The three men may not have the same amount of money and power, yet they remain driven by the very same prospect of fame.

Night Stage is more of less structured like a soap opera or a television series, with countless turns, melodramatic devices (the explosive encounters, an emotionally laden soundtrack including Maysa Matarazzo, the Brazilian queen of “sad” music genre Fossa), beach-ready and chiseled bodies, and impeccable lighting. The topic of sexual exhibitionism is a little less suitable for national television. At least not before children’s cutoff at 22:00.

This is a very solid movie, with a riveting script, strong performances and gorgeous imagery. The criticisms of celebrity culture and reckless political campaigning are very clear, even if they may not resonate as loud with people not familiar with these Brazilian obsessions. On the other hand, the repetition of the sex scenes (always succeeded by the near-catching of the naughty lovers) might bore some viewers. Night Stage is an aesthetically conservative and accomplished film with a far more subversive topic choice. A tasteful cocktail of sex games and death – even if the flavours aren’t particularly new.

Night Stage just premiered in the Panorama section of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. Marcio Reolon and Filipe Matzembacher’s previous film Hard Paint won the Teddy Award for best LGBT+ film at the event seven years ago.