After being released from a juvenile correctional facility, eighteen-year-old Wellington, nicknamed Baby, finds himself alone and adrift on the streets of São Paulo – cut off from his parents and with no means to rebuild his life. He meets Ronaldo, a street-wise man who teaches him how to survive the harsh reality of the big city. Their bond gradually evolves into a complicated and passionate relationship. In cinemas from April 18, 2025.
Synopsis
After leaving a reformatory, eighteen-year-old Wellington is left stranded in bustling São Paulo – with no support from his parents, no money, and no idea what to do with his life. His fate changes when he meets the older Ronaldo in a porn cinema. Ronaldo works as a sex worker and knows how to get by, while the inexperienced Wellington is only beginning to find his place in the adult world. A unique bond grows between them, one far more complex than simple love. But will it be enough to make them happy?
Marcelo Caetano’s second feature explores the multilayered nature of human relationships and the struggles of marginalized queer people who often must turn to illegal activities in order to survive. Baby premiered at Cannes in the Critics’ Week section for emerging talent, where it won the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award. The film also received the award for Best Latin American Film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
About the Director
Marcelo Caetano, born in the state of Minas Gerais, is now based in São Paulo. He directed the feature film Body Electric, which premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2017. He also directed the TV series Hit Parade and Notícias Populares, both broadcast on Canal Brasil. He has worked on various projects as an assistant director and casting producer, including Tatuagem, Bacurau, Aquarius, and Neon Bull. In 2009, he co-founded the production company Desbun Filmes.
Film Details:
Brazil, France, Netherlands / 2024
107 min / DCP
Language: Portuguese
Subtitles: Czech, English
Director: Marcelo Caetano
Producers: Beto Tibiriça, Marcelo Caetano, Ivan Melo, Juliette Lepoutre, Stienette Bosklooper, Maarten Swart, Pierre Menahem
Screenplay: Marcelo Caetano, Gabriel Domingues
Cast: João Pedro Mariano, Ricardo Teodoro, Ana Flavia Cavalcanti, Bruna Linzmeyer
m-appeal, Queer Kino
