
November gray, Berlin gray — everything gray? How lucky we are to have cinemas. And how fortunate there are still films that must be experienced on the big screen, like those by the Algerian-French-Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz. His new film, the mesmerizing tropical neo-noir “Motel Destino,” premieres in German cinemas today (14.11.2024). Amid the bright neon lights and vast expanse of the northern Brazilian sky, Aïnouz draws us into a world that is as seductive as it is perilous, as vibrant as it is shadowy. The story follows young Heraldo, who, after a failed robbery, finds himself adrift and seeking refuge. What begins as a simple hiding place transforms into a microcosm of human desires and power struggles. The enigmatic motel owner, Elias, sees Heraldo as nothing more than cheap labor, while his wife, Dayana, sees a chance at the freedom she desperately craves. Aïnouz stages this love triangle like a dance on a volcano, capturing the simmering tension and unspoken emotions. Hélène Louvart’s cinematography captures every bead of sweat, every lingering glance, and every open pore with stunning intimacy. The actors Igor Xavier, Nataly Rocha and Fabio Assunção deliver such powerful performances, blurring the lines between longing and despair.
Aïnouz uses the remote motel as a metaphor for Brazilian society – a powder keg on the verge of explosion after years under Bolsonaro’s rule. The characters are not heroes but marginalized figures, each desperately searching for an escape. Their bodies become canvases on which their hopes and fears are displayed; every touch and every gaze is laden with meaning. “Motel Destino” is a film that stays with us long after the credits roll, forcing us to reflect on the boundaries of morality and desire, and reminding us how thin the veneer of civilization is. Equally mesmerizing and unsettling, Aïnouz captivates the audience while maintaining a certain distance. “Motel Destino” is not an easy film, but it reminds us why we go to the movies: to be moved, provoked and challenged – to escape, if only for two hours, from the grayness of the city, the world and this season.
Text: Alina Herbel / Credit: Santoro
Motel Destino
The film will be shown in the following cinemas from 14.11.2024: fsk Kino, Neues Off, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain, Rollberg Kinos, delphiLUX, and Il Kino.
@piffl_medien