COMEDY IS MERELY A TRAGEDY HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE
During the fourth wave of a pandemic in an indefinite time that may be the present moment, the near past, or in the coming future, there is a virus affecting the brain and memory in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This wacky surreal fictional film directed by (Gustavo Vinagre) introduces us to Isabella (Isabella Pereira) and Pedro (Pedro Ribeiro) she is vaporizing herself while repeating “Many people suffer the consequences of great diseases” memorizing information for her college test that will take place in a few hours; Pedro is a sex worker mourning the loss of his beloved Ricardo, who committed suicide because of the pandemic. Pedro, wearing a jockstrap, moans while playing with toys in front of a laptop camera in a virtual meeting and states: “ Babyface is here just for you, the rules are: you tell me what to do, I tell you how much it costs, you pay…”
In a matter of hours Jonata (Jonata Vieira) Pedro´s HIV-positive nephew is coming to stay overnight in the tiny apartment, for a medical appointment the next day.
These are the three very young queer main characters talking about their experiences of marginality and drifting in the city, and there is a fourth one, the Portuguese language with its melodic sound in the voices of the ensemble cast of acquaintances.
Pedro also draws for a living. For each piece he sells, an extra size replica is glued on a wall in the street becoming public art that anyone can appreciate. In a particularly short and funny scene, a boy notices a drawing and asks his mother if boys can embrace and kiss each other… after that, he pukes golden glitter and instantly recognizes himself and feels a part of the queer sisterhood.
The movie is a whimsical one that provides surprising situations, accurate information in a weird context, and the critical notion of capitalism and “crapitalists”. Some sequences are a nod to Pedro Almodóvar, Luchino Visconti, and Stephan Elliot. Music and sounds are important to provide the tone. Protagonists wear masks and spray their hands and mouths, constantly.
The Brazilian population is a complex and rich combination of European, African, and American cultures and we can see that in the film. Through the dialogues we know that in Sao Paulo, months ago, theatres closed completely; revenues in pet industry have been outrageous since lonely people look for company and spend lots of money taking care of their domestic animals.
Meanwhile, there are so many viruses now that make HIV seem like something of the past. Of course, it is not so, and after 40 years and millions of deaths, there is still no vaccine yet.
Through their conversations, we hear about Mother Nature and saving the planet, and the Jaguar, an endangered animal in Latin America, reincarnated in a cat woman.
All the characters in the film, dead or alive, reunite in a climactic scene that takes place indoors and deserves to be watched.
The morning after, Jonata visits the doctor, his friends wait for him outside the clinic, they walk, he says goodbye and goes home with a new companion, a guinea pig in a fashionable backpack.
Pedro, Anabella, and Jonata, tres tigres tristes, beyond the tongue twister, know about living in adversity… but beyond that, know about love, loneliness, and friendship; particularly in Bolsonaro´s regime that has targeted minorities since the first hours of his administration.
P. S. The movie won the prestigious Teddy Award at Berlin International Film Festival and is now screening at Boston’s Wicked Queer Film Festival
Review by José Mayorga Guatemala, Central America Lawyer and notary public, visual artist and editor of
El Azar Cultural. Lives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager
to live the experience.
