Like large-scale tattoos, colourful murals and graffiti adorn the urban body of Belo Horizonte, a densely populated city in southeastern Brazil. Composed largely of static shots, Marcos Pimentel’s poignant documentary conjures an awe-striking tapestry of artistic expression and revolutionary resistance.
Imposing in terms of size, these sprawling street artworks range from kaleidoscopic portraits to fabulously surreal tableaux vivants. For some passersby, these majestic images amount to nothing more than a cool selfie backdrop. Pimentel’s film, however, takes a closer look, lingering on painted words that speak of a yearning for love and intimacy. These utterances of private desire exist side by side with protest slogans calling for Jair Bolsonaro’s resignation and condemning the police. Weaving together the personal and political, Pimentel’s film sees street art as a crucial form of political advocacy at a time when dissenting voices are cruelly repressed.
