Play a Song for Me

Esmir Filho's 2009 Brazilian film follows a teenager in a small town in the south. He uses another name online, spends time with his friend and has a difficult relationship with his mother; he dreams of getting out. The film turns around news of a death. A girl in the town has taken her own life and the event enters everyone's conversation; the narrative does not explain it and shows its effect on the boy's state. It is adapted from a novel, and the book's author appears in the film. The narrative builds no plot, proceeding through the internet, music and night wanderings. The images are dark and the pace low. Who it's for: those who like Brazilian independent cinema and atmospheric narratives of youth. Who it's not for: viewers for whom suicide would sit heavily; the film keeps it constantly in the background.