Carnival is Over

This sleek, dark, and funny neo-noir film marks the Festival return of Brazilian writer-director Fernando Coimbra (A Wolf at the Door, TIFF ’13). Regina (Leandra Leal) and Valerio (Irandhir Santos) are happy in their relationship and lead a relaxed life in their luxury villa in the hills of contemporary Rio de Janeiro. But since the death of Valerio's father, the city's biggest mafioso, they've been looking for a way out of the criminal hornet’s nest that is Valerio's family business.

But they also have considerable expenses and debts to contend with. Valerio's uncle Linduarte (Stepan Nercessian) — who has been running the operation and taking its risks — insists that Valerio take over the business. One serendipitous night, the two come up with a solution to their problem: kill the uncle and sell the business. But in doing so, they fall deeper into the violence they wanted to escape.

For its ambitious dive into the depths of the underworld, the beating heart of the film is the relationship between Regina and Valerio. He’s willing to execute on her wickedly risky ideas, and her insatiable thirst for dominance offers an exhilarating, unpredictable view into the abyss. Leal and Santos are both renowned stars in Brazil. It’s time for the wider world to witness their talents as their vibrant characters try to outrun justice, death, and themselves.

DIANA CADAVID

Content advisory: violence, explicit sex scenes, crude content, mature themes, coarse language