PRAIRA DO FUTURO/ BEACH OF THE FUTURE
Brazil/Germany, 2014, 106 minutes, Colour.
Wagner Moura, Clemens Schick, Jesuita Barbosa.
Directed by Karim Anouiz.
This film featured in the 2014 Berlin Film Festival. It was well received by Brazilian critics and some locals but did not have a strong impact on wider audiences.
In theory, it should have made a better impression. The film opens strikingly with motorcyclists on the coast of Brazil, driving through the roads and sand, the two riders then going into the ocean for a swim, one getting into difficulties and drowning, the other rescued, and the film focusing on the lifesaver.
Very quickly, the gay theme is introduced as the lifesaver and the survivor have a sexual encounter. One of the main difficulties for the film is that there seems to be very little, almost no chemistry between the two central characters, so that their sudden relationship does not convince – and this is true of the later sequences, even though they are meant to be quite intimate and the two falling in love. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura plays the lifeguard and German actor, Clemens Schick plays the survivor, (the two Germans had served together in Afghanistan and were returning home after travels to work together in a garage, the man who died having a wife and child).
The German calls the Brazilian a coward for not leaving his family and coming with him to Germany. The lifesaver has strong family bonds, with his devoted mother and with his younger brother who is introduced to the German and is attracted by the cars. He goes to Germany and, when challenged, does not go to the airport.
Germany seems very cold to the lifesaver – and there is no beach to hand. While the two maintain their relationship for some time, it is clear that the Brazilian is uncomfortable, has some regrets in leaving his family, but has decided to make a new life away from them all.
Years pass. The relationship has broken though the two men see each other. What makes a difference for the last part of the film is the arrival of the younger brother from Brazil, now a late teenager, spending two weeks searching for his brother and eventually finding him, attacking him for leaving home, and missing the death of their mother.
There is some reconciliation between the younger brother and the older brother who now works in an aquarium, cleaning the glass for the exhibits. He also meets the German who takes him under his wing after a clash and a rough sexual encounter with a girlfriend.
We presume that, eventually, the three will become friends, the Brazilian will revive something of his life, the German will continue the friendship and the young man, actually following the example of his brother, leaves Brazil and finds a new home.
