Salt Kiss

As a privileged teenager living in an affluent suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Jean has little to worry about beyond games, grades and girls. But as his overbearing father drags the family into debt, Jean is forced into a change of lifestyle which opens his eyes to the world beyond his 'casa grande' - not least that of the feisty, mixed-race firecracker Luiza. Cultures, classes and generations collide in this engrossing coming-of-age drama from Brazil.

January 1st, 2003. When Brazil celebrates President Lula′s historic investiture, two middle-class, provincial families gather in an old, poorly maintained house. As they prepare a big party, secrets, hidden desires and frustrations are revealed.

Maíra was raised by her father believing that her mother had died. This was a lie her father told her in order to protect her from the scorn of her mother, who rejected her when she learned that her daughter was born with a disability. Many years later, Maíra comes across a stranger on their doorstep. That’s Zoé, her mother. Without revealing her true intentions, Zoe reappears asking her daughter’s forgiveness for having abandoned her. As in a dream that turns into a nightmare, Maíra experiences the strongest emotions of her life and what would be a happy fresh start for Maíra with her family turns into a long and dangerous journey.

Laura, a sexy Brazilian immigrant, has been living in New York for 25 years. She is a regular at NY nightclubs and frequents the most exclusive parties and upscale restaurants. However, she lives in a modest boarding house in Manhattan, where she shares a bathroom with other guests who are largely illegal immigrants. The film questions the meaning of success, examines the fear of returning home, the unconscious pressure of the family she abandoned in Curitiba, and the deliberate creation of a fantasy as a means of protection.

Filmmakers that were selected at Visions du Réel in the past twenty editions celebrate the Festival's anniversary by each making a short movie in which they expose their view of the future.

In Bocaina, Minas Gerais, two sisters live peacefully and in isolation until the arrival of an outsider to the region. The plot follows in the footsteps of Zulma (Malu Gali), Musk (Ana Flavia) and Josevelt (Alejandro Claveaux). Josevelt is the mysterious fellow who, along with these two conflict-filled women, helps them free themselves from their restraints. Under the context of a pandemic, the narrative addresses the feeling of suspension and uncertainty, so present today.

Before entering a prestigious American university, Gabriel Buchmann decides to travel the world for one year. After ten months on the road with his backpack full of dreams, immersed at the heart of various countries, he arrives in Kenya determined to discover the African continent. Until he reaches the top of Mount Mulanje, Malawi, his final destination.