"August Winds" ("Ventos de Agosto") — “August Winds” (“Ventos de Agosto”)

It looks like the film won’t be released theatrically in the USA, which is too bad because it’s the kind of film best seen on the big screen. But the good news is that it will be released in the USA, just not in theaters. Kino Lorber announced this week a September 6, 2016 blu-ray & DVD release in the USA 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 and 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 film has been touring the international film festival circuit since 2014, and continues to travel worldwide. And while it’s screened at a number of festivals in the USA, it hasn’t been officially released here yet – until now, thanks to Kino Lorber’s September 6, 2016 blu-ray and DVD plans.

While we wait another month, watch the trailer below:

Geová Manoel Dos Santos

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