život Eurídice Gusmão (2019), Marinheiro das Montanhas (2021) and Firebrand (2023)
Story
Under a burning sky, on a roadside in the coast of Ceará, Motel Destino is the scene of dangerous games of desire, power and violence. One night, the arrival of young Heraldo changes the daily life of the place forever. Karim Aïnouz’s sixth film, which will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, following Madame Satã (2002), O Abismo Prateado (2011), Nevidljivi. Karim Aïnouz’s latest erotic thriller, Motel Destino is a delicate cinematic mix of desire, sex and crime.
Motel Destino is a dingy sex motel characterized by neon lights
A favorite of Aïnouz, six of his films have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival so far. This year, Motel Destino competed for both the Palme d’Or and the Queer Palme. The hotel is run by Elias and his partner, Dayana, who are indifferent to the world of sex and crime at the motel. They are so absorbed in this world that Elias is often found indulging in a voyeuristic self-indulgence and concealing crimes to keep the police at bay.
The film is brilliantly shot, with intense, uncomfortable close-ups of the characters
It is a place where guests don’t stay long and no one asks questions. One day, the young and attractive Heraldo arrives at the motel, bringing his own criminal baggage. He soon becomes part of the couple’s dynamic, disrupting the established order. The three main characters then embark on the third and final act of this queer noir film, as they meet their fate.
Faces trapped in their situations and bodies sweating with desire
Close-ups of Heraldo’s naked body depict him as both strong and fragile. Dayana is tender and eager for someone to give her hope of escaping her abusive relationship with Elias. The film’s color palette shifts seamlessly between neon red and blue, with the red signifying the residents’ carnal desires and the blue the eerie feeling of emptiness that follows the high. Motel Destino focuses on raw emotions and carnal desires, masterfully captured through brilliant cinematography, the somewhat lack of worldbuilding initially seems intentional, creating a sense of detachment from society in the audience….
Worth a watch
Adios…