High Tide

"Director, you did an incredible job! A friend from Brazil recommended this film, and when I saw the trailer, I felt an instant connection - it was like my life was right there. With ADHD, it's hard for me to focus on movies, but this one completely captivated me. The authenticity and emotion you brought to the screen are impressive.

Marco Pigossi's performance in "High Tide" was widely praised! He's a talented actor who brought depth and nuance to the character of Lourenço. His portrayal of the complexities of love, identity, and vulnerability must have been compelling to watch. Congratulations!

This is a beautiful and emotional film that truly left an impression on me. Marco Pigossi's performance is outstanding; he brings his character to life in such a real and relatable way. I felt like I instantly connected with him, and his journey felt so personal and genuine.

The film covers so many different themes, from love and loss to personal growth, and it does so in a way that really tugs at your heartstrings. I found myself feeling a wide range of emotions, from happy to heartbroken, but it always felt meaningful.

The cinematography is breathtaking, with every shot feeling carefully crafted to add to the story. The natural scenery is stunning, and the way it's filmed really draws you into the world of the movie. The music also perfectly complements the mood, adding an extra layer of depth to the film.

After finishing it, I found myself thinking about the details I might have missed the first time. It's one of those films that sticks with you, and I'm definitely planning to revisit it to take in all the little touches I didn't notice before.

In short, I loved it. It is a beautiful, emotional, and thought-provoking film. Thank you.

I saw this at the IFC Center during its opening week in NYC, and I was charmed by it. The intercut scenes did a great job of establishing the setting, and the relationships between the characters were nicely layered. The sex scenes were artfully done and evocative. The story of a Brazilian immigrant in P-town is not high drama, but it is human, and on that level, it did a great job of throwing the spotlight on gay culture and the theme of wanting to escape one's life, through dancing, swimming, drugs, or relief work in Angola. The casting was interesting, the performances very realistic, the cinematography beautiful, and the montages worked well. My husband missed much of the show because he lost his ticket and had to get up to use the bathroom, and he felt the plot was predictable. I however could not have predicted what happened at the end, I don't think he could have either.

Heartbreakingly beautiful haunting and realistic depiction of love, loss, rock bottom, desperation, resilience and resurrection

I was so afraid it was going to be a flashy camp boy meets boy blah blah blah

It was the most realistic (and self identifying relatable) of all the phases one can go through in a breakup... and fear of "where am I...what am I know?"

the brilliant and poignant moments hit me hard; harder and more beautifully than expected

Marco (subtle and yet intense), James Bland (vulnerable and self aware) Marisa Tomei (just...!!!) and Bill Irwin (melancholy and sincere) were outstanding. Director Marco let his stars shine and develop and demonstrate REAL human emotion... wisdom... and a common thread of melancholy-tinged hope

He brought out so much from all allowing them disappear into characters. I simply fell in love with, rooted for, cried with, identified with... and wanted them to simply find fulfillment (and forgiveness).

I've not been so immediately moved from frame 1 nor felt each and EVERY actor's emotions in such a long long time

It gave me hope.

Relishing the freedom to openly be oneself can be a fulfilling and liberating experience, especially for those who have lived most of their lives hiding from disapproving family members and a close-minded society. So it is for Lourenço (Marco Pigossi), a Brazilian transplant seeking to resettle permanently in Provincetown, MA, a goal dependent on him acquiring a work visa to replace a tourist visa that's about to expire. He has an added incentive to fulfill that objective when he meets and falls for Maurice (James Bland), a vacationer from New York who's visiting the oceanside resort town before embarking on an ambitious, long-term nursing residency in the wilds of Angola. But can the two would-be lovers make this relationship work in light of the impending changes in their respective lives, geography and careers? What's more, as this budding romance begins to blossom, Lourenço also wrestles with leftover baggage from an old relationship, unwanted advances from opportunistic lecherous would-be suitors and never-ending pressure from his mother back in Brazil, who is unaware of his closeted sexuality and routinely prods him to settle down and find a wife. While writer-director Marco Calvani capably and sensitively presents a tender, authentic, same-sex love story, the picture nevertheless tells a somewhat familiar tale whose narrative is not particularly original in the annals of LGBTQ+ cinema. It also struggles to blend its own brands of comedy and drama, both of which are handled well in their own right but whose inherent natures frequently come across as too extremely opposed to one another to harmonize in a believable, coherent whole. On top of that, the film also tries to cover too much ground at times, with a number of subplots that could have been easily trimmed or eliminated entirely without causing any undue harm to the picture overall. To its credit, though, this offering sincerely has its heart in the right place, despite the aforementioned shortcomings, backed up by an array of fine supporting performances and gorgeous cinematography showcasing the beauty and character of this charming Cape Cod resort town. Unfortunately, however, "High Tide" is yet another recent release that could have used some significant retooling to help it fully live up to its potential, especially given its predominantly conventional premise. Gay cinema has increasingly been moving forward in new and innovative directions in recent years, so, if filmmakers in this genre attempt to tackle new expressions of tried-and-true formulas like this, they had better have a good grasp of what they're doing if they ultimately hope to succeed in the end.