Vento Seco

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film. I ended up being very impressed. Certainly a lot to think about as it unrolls.

Technically, the film is so well done. The cinematography is beautiful. Excellent and impressive use of the camera to bring us into Sandro's life and world.

A single gay man, caught (or luxuriating?) in sexual fantasies about the men around him. He lives a mundane, routine life, but constantly indulges in fantasies and trysts to satisfy his sexual side.

But being of a generation where gay sex was a more hidden pleasure, he separates his daily life from his sexual needs and fantasies. And the film seems to suggest that he is a slave to his fantasies - as many of his fantasies involve leather sex and subjugation.

He has a romantic side too, that blends well with his purely sexual fantasies. I thought this was so beautifully displayed in the scene on the Loop ride at the livestock fair. The scene is SO beautiful that I had to go back and watch it again. And it still haunts me days later.

There are disturbing scenes, where the central character, Sandro, becomes angry and vindictive. But the insight into his inner turmoil is so acute in those scenes.

The juxtaposition of real and fantasy - the outside world and the inner workings of this man's mind - is wonderfully conveyed, if at times a little confusing.

Acting is top notch throughout the film on everyone's part.

The sex scenes are so real and nicely done. They are integrated neatly into the story and film, and while they are hot to watch, I would not consider them porn, but rather, insight into the characters - and the time and place.

There's an old adage that 'who you are is where you were, when.' Sandro is a product of his era, and Ricardo is a product of a more open and progressive time. And therein lies the tension of this story.

This film is beyond the visual impact of the nudity or the sexual scenes. It is beautifully shot and directed. The soundtrack suits perfectly to the story and sequences. All the symbolism that the film shows has its own meaning - you can see it through the neon lights, the clothes/nakedness,the puzzle or Sandro's dreams. His dry lips due to the damp and hot weather makes a point too. This is what a film does, engages you think beyond what the characters say or manifest. Personally, I think the film tries to explain that love and lust are separate things and something in this case came with different people. There is also the issue that Sandro has to hide both love and lust. But sometimes you need to have both to have inner peace.

Expectation: bad-scripted softcore porn

Reality: stunning visual, decent story, good actings, sex/nudity scenes more sensual than porn

This movie came as a surprise and I quite like it!

Basically a one-character film: a dumpy-looking middle-aged bear who scores above his attractiveness rating and is obsessed with sleazy erotic dreams (which are quite imaginatively filmed, if not quite on the level of, say, Fassbinder's *Querelle* in terms of color and lighting). Oh, and his jealousies.

The rest of the characters are seriously underdeveloped and not terribly interesting except perhaps for the female coworker who turns 40.

The oral sex looks to be very real, but the director cops out on the anal. I would've found it more honest if all the sex were either hinted at, or all of it genuine.

As far as the natural scenery is concerned, good lord has rampant capitalism made a wasteland out of Brazil.

I gave this film a ten-star rating because it deserves, at least, an 8! I love it when a film which is targeted to a mature audience delivers on its promise, and this film accomplishes this perfectly.

Yes, there are graphic sex scenes and nudity of beautiful men, but at no time did if fall into a porn-flick. And anyone who argues otherwise does not know what is porn.

The cinematography, the background sounds, music, and the arrangement of the scenes are enough to keep your mind focus that this is a serious film about love, identity, fear, a clash of cross-generational perspectives of acceptance of one's homosexuality, among other issues. Ricardo, who appears younger is ready to commit and declare to the world his love for Sandro. But Sandro is stuck in the era when gays navigate the underworld even when in plain sight.

The film is almost 2 hours long but it felt shorter than some Shorts I've watched. This is another indication of how brilliant this film is. The plot was well-developed and easy to follow. The actors played their role confidently. I was very impressed by Renata Carvalho's performance. She did an exceptional job in the supporting role.

There is so much more to be said about this film, but I will end by saying that this will be one of my favorite gay-themed films ever, and I hope there will be more daring and satisfying films like this one in the near future.