Hard Paint

The 2018 Brazilian film by Marcio Reolon and Filipe Matzembacher follows Pedro, living in Porto Alegre, who makes his living through night-time shows in which he smears paint across his body for the camera. On screen he is known as NeonBoy; he almost never leaves the flat, and there is a reason for that. The subject is loneliness and a city becoming unliveable: Pedro staying inside is not a choice but the result of threat in the street. The story opens a second line when he notices someone imitating his performances, and that line brings the possibility of closeness. The neon-coloured images are its signature. It won the Teddy award at the Berlin Film Festival. The pace is slow. Who it's for: viewers interested in Brazilian independent cinema and queer narratives. Who it's not for: anyone avoiding sexual content, or wanting plot.