Following his release from juvenile detention, 18-year old Wellington (played by João Pedro Mariano) discovers his parents have moved with no trace, leading him to meet Ronaldo (played by Ricardo Teodoro), a 42-year-old escort, in an adult movie theater. Ronaldo takes Wellington under his wing, teaching him how to survive life as a poor gay man in São Paulo, and eventually falling in love with him. Marcelo Caetano's Baby is not only a romantic drama, but an exploration of queer life in Brasil, across many socioeconomic, gender, and age divides, making it a choice pick for queer or international film collections.
While films like, say, Call Me By Your Name focus on the taboo of a relationship like Wellington (who takes on the moniker Baby midway through the film) and Ronaldo's, Caetano's film is a wider look at the socioeconomic and cultural circumstances that lead to two such people finding one another. Baby depicts an array of queer lives in São Paulo, from Baby's young, gender-diverse friends who vogue on public transit to buy their dinner, to wealthy, older cis gay men who live in luxury condos. Caetano treats each person and lifestyle he depicts, regardless of general notions of morality or legality, with a sense of compassion and care, save for perhaps the police, who harass and violate Baby in key moments of the story.
Marcelo Caetano's Baby is tender, brutal, and charming— a coming of age story about a young gay Brasilian man trying not only to survive, but to live. With wonderful debut screen performances by Mariano and Teodoro, an engaging script by Caetano and Gabriel Domingues, and an enchanting score by Lucas Coelho, Baby would make an excellent addition to any film library. Recommended.
Is this queer drama a good fit for international film or gender studies courses?
Yes! As Baby highlights a variety of aspects of queer life in São Paulo, students stand to gain a lot of insight on the intersections of socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, and age in Brasil. The setting is essential to the story, making it a good pick for class discussions, especially for courses studying South American or LGBTQ film. While the film does contain nudity, graphic sex, substance abuse, and violence, it is never egregious and serves to illustrate the realities of Baby's life as a poor, young queer person in São Paulo.
Why should public libraries add Baby to their collection?
Baby depicts a perspective not often seen in cinema— that of a working class, queer South American. Adding the DVD to your public library collection gives patrons the opportunity to expand their worldview and expose themselves to queer/LGBTQ art from the global south. It could also support discussions around LGBTQ life in your area.
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