The scorching Brazilian sun, the dust of provincial roads, the ubiquitous sounds of animals—the director of Homing, Helvécio Marins Jr., is more interested in creating an experiential space than in telling a story. The protagonist—who enables us to feel like we’re on a Brazilian farm—is a young man who can’t see the world beyond his passion, the rodeo. The director, however, delays the man’s moment of fulfillment on the back of an angry bull. An injury and past trauma immobilize our hero, giving him time to be our guide to the hardships of his everyday life. Homing is, first of all, a film about the unspoken union between humans and nature, which must be appeased so that we may survive. The rodeo becomes a metaphor for the biblical subordination of the earth. Evocative scenes of bull riding may be the film’s culmination, but they aren’t its core. Much more important is the unhurried waiting for this celebration of the machismo and strength, to the accompaniment of music and, rather unexpectedly, poetry.
Jeonju FF 2019 – Best Picture International Competition
Helvécio Marins Jr. is a 46-year-old Brazilian from Belo Horizonte, who made his full-length debut with the film Swirl (Grimunho, 2011), which was co-directed by Clarissa Campolina. The film deals with the subject of poverty in Brazil’s interior. He continues this theme in his second film, Homing, which he directed on his own. He had previously made several short films for which he received no fewer than 30 awards all around the world.
2011 Grimunho / Swirl
2019 Querência / Homing