It’s the kind of film best seen on the big screen, but it was never released theatrically in the USA (2016). However, some good news is that it’s now available on various home platforms, including streaming on Netflix.

Kino Lorber is the US distributor for Brazilian filmmaker Gabriel Mascaro’s “August Winds” (“Ventos de Agosto”), a coming-of-age drama set in Brazil that follows a teen girl named Shirley, who has left the big city to live in a small seaside town to look after her grandmother. There, she drives a tractor on a local coconut plantation, loves rock music, dreams of being a tattoo artist and feels trapped in the tiny coastal village. She is involved with Jeison, who also works on the coconut farm and who free dives for lobster and octopus in his spare time.  A surprising discovery takes Shirley and Jeison on a journey that confronts them with the duality between life and death.

The title, “August Winds,” refers to the month when tropical storms are more likely to land in the coastal area, bringing high tides and raging winds. It is the backdrop for which the film’s story takes place.

Dandara de Morais and Geová Manoel Dos Santos star in the film.

In the peculiar trailer below, there’s a quick scene in which Shirley pours Coca-Cola all over her body. It’s been said that soda is used in some countries as sun-tanning lotion, as it supposedly speeds up the skin darkening process, which explains Shirley’s act. So, for now, you can forget all you’ve heard about Latinos/Afro-Latinos, or black people for that matter, not wanting to get darker, especially when the conversations/controversy is often about the contrary.

The toured the international film festival circuit for 2 years, through 2016, including screenings at a number of festivals in the USA. You can watch it now, thanks to Kino Lorber, streaming on Netflix, or you can rent/buy it on blu-ray and DVD as well.

Watch the trailer below: