Rule 34

This narrative revolving around sexuality, power dynamics, and patriarchal structures garnered the prestigious Golden Leopard for Best Film at the previous Locarno Film Festival. Simone, the protagonist, is a black law student residing in Rio de Janeiro. Alongside her studies, she actively aids female victims of male violence. Yet, during the night, she delves into her own realm of erotic fantasies, charting a course that challenges conventional notions of pain and pleasure. Pushing the boundaries, she willingly exposes herself to progressively daring and extreme experiences. The latest work by acclaimed Brazilian director Júlia Murat is a daring and provocative film that raises many questions and encourages reflection on issues such as bodily experience and the gaze as a tool for personal, social, and political liberation or enslavement. It also offers powerful commentary on Brazil's colonial and slaveholding past and its complex and tumultuous present, where the level of violence against women is among the highest in the world and deeply entrenched racial and class divisions abound at every turn.