Displaying items by tag: Thomas Aquino

TOLL /PEDAGIO

Brazil, 2023, 102 minutes, Colour.

Maeve Jinkings, Kauan Alvarenga, Thomas Aquino.

Directed by Carolna Markowitz.

There is an ambiguity in the title, Toll. At an obvious level, it refers to the gates at the beginning of the bridge, and the women who collect the toll from the drivers. But, there is also the toll on the various characters.

The film is a Brazilian slice of life, an industrial town, poor neighbourhood, the focus on a middle-aged woman, Suellen, working at the toll with her friend Telma, in a relationship with the organiser of a gang of car thieves, very concerned about her son and his sexual orientation. This takes its toll on her, the management of home life, the information from Telma about a conversion therapy program, risking criminal advice to the thieves for targets to get money for the programme.

And the focus on the son, aged 17, his room, his making videos and lip syncing to American songs, as well as his dressing up, especially at a children’s party. The scenes of the conversion therapy course, conducted by religious Minister, are not persuasive, often graphic, derided by most audiences.

This is a portrait of a Brazilian woman, difficult circumstances, on the one hand trying her best, but on the other hand, her best leading to criminal activity and imprisonment. And it is a brief portrait of an adolescent manifesting the camp side of his sexual orientation and trying to find a place in society.

1. The slice of Brazilian life, poverty, work, youth, gangs of thieves, sexual orientation?
2. The setting, the neighbourhood, poverty, homes, streets, shops, ordinary life? The industrial atmosphere, factories, smokestacks? The bridge, the city, the toll? The musical score?
3. The story of Suellen, her background, in the town, her son, concern, adolescent? Her relationship with Arauto? Her son antagonistic? The details of ordinary life?
4. Suellen, her work, going to the toll, her dealings with customers, the details, antagonistic, money issues, pleasant? Her friendship with Telma, at the toll, Telma and her age, the large woman, the drivers, the connections, the sexual encounters, her commentary, her religiosity and renewing her marriage vows annually? Supporting Suellen?
5. Aruauto, the gang, robberies, the set-ups, pursuing the cars, forcing them over, the robberies? Stashing the watches with Suellen?
6. Suellen and her concern about her son, his sexual orientation, behaviour, indications, friends? The religious background, the pastor, conversion program, the visitor and his techniques?
7. Antonio, his age, his room, costumes, lip-syncing to the American songs, his performances, the videos, at the party, his dress?
8. Suellen and the need for money to pay for the conversion therapy? The agreement with Arauto, her targeting various drivers, the scenes of the robberies, watches, her payment, and to the pastor, the plan for her son?
9. Antonio unwilling to go, his mother commanding him, the sessions, the techniques, the slides, physical, provocative, the advice, the effect on the boy? (And the effect on the audience, the response to the lecture, the slides, the approach, the morality or not?) Discussion of the red ibis and the city?
10. Meeting Ricky, his background, at the sessions, the friendship, the later meetings?
11. Suellen and her targeting the car, the gang pursuing, the robbery, the fact that it was the presenter of the conversion therapy course? His death?
12. The aftermath, the police, Suellen, arrest, imprisonment? Antonio and Ricky? An unfinished slice of life ending?

PRIVATE DESERT

Brazil, 2021, 121 minutes, Colour.

Antonio Saboia, Pedro Fasanaro, Thomas Aquino.

Directed by Ali Muritiba.

A film from Brazil which challenges issues of masculinity, male identity, transitions. It has received more than 60 nominations and awards.

The first part of the film focuses on the policeman, under suspension because of a violent incident in which he injured a rookie, media headlines and videos, officials preparing him for a trial and suggesting psychological assessment. In the meantime, he lives at home, looking after his aged father with great care. Yet some help from his student sister.

However, he keeps trying to ring Sarah, with whom he had a relationship in the past. She does not answer. He decides then to travel a thousand kilometres north to find her, putting up notices and photos in the street, eventually meeting her contact.

The second part of the film focuses on Sarah, the audience discovering that Sarah is really Robson, a young man, working hard on a building site, gay, cross-dressing. Robson is persuaded to come to a club as Sarah and encounter Daniel that rushes away. Robson has had difficulties with his parents, but is cared for by his grandmother at home, a religious woman, church meetings, and referral to a pastor who had had similar experiences to Robson in his past.

While the film shows Daniel and his obsession with his relationship with Sarah, there is the drama of his eventual discovery of the truth and his reaction. Which, of course, is the Daniel challenge of the film. Robson’s future is also the other challenge of the film.

The screenplay highlights the difficulties but also offers some kind of resolution.

1. Whose desert? Daniels? Robson’s?
2. Nominations and awards for the film, more than 60? Acclaim in Brazil?
3. The structure of the film: the first half focusing on Daniel, the long opening sequence of him raining, voice-over, life at home, his father, his sister, care? The crisis at work? His contact with Sarah, the phone calls? His driving to find her? The second half of the film, the focus on Robson, his identity, at home, the religious background, the interactions with Daniel?
4. Daniel’s world, the scenes at home, his care for his father, the detail, feeding, washing, driving? His sister, her studies, her care for her father, her attitudes, relationships? Daniel asking for work, his friend at the police? The incident, the injury to the rookie, the interviews with the police chief, the court case, suggestion of psychiatric investigation? Daniel, his age, the past and memories of Sarah?
5. His decision to leave, the long drive, arriving in the town, asking people, the printout of the photos, distributing them? The phone call from Fernando? The meeting, the discussion, the ferry, Robson sitting on the boat near Daniel? The wordplay and interactions with Fernando? The meeting at the club, Robson as Sarah, escaping? The effect on Daniel?
6. The revelation of Sarah, Robson, the background story, his sexual identity, living with his grandmother, the discussions on the beach with Fernando, Fernando as a friend, gay, the salon, going to the church, the preacher, his being referred to the Minister with a similar past? At work, the tough work, construction sites?
7. The effect of the previous encounter with Daniel, his coming to Daniel, the dress and the wig, the kissing, Daniel discovering the truth? The effect on Daniel, the shock? The effect on Robson? Daniel demanding the dress back? Robson disrobing? Daniel leaving?
8. The further complications, the threat to revealing the truth about Robson? The support of his grandmother? The decision to leave, going to the bus station, the tickets? Daniel arriving, Fernando telling him where he was? The encounter, the passion? Robson leaving on the bus? Daniel and his future?
9. The Brazilian setting, universal themes, sexual identity, transitions? Brazilian male culture and dealing with the issues of this film?