The Pink Cloud

Last night I took a break from Sundance to see The Pink Cloud, a movie that premiered at Sundance last year, at the Broadway.  It has an intriguing, and incredibly prescient, premise and I found it to be very unsettling.  Giovana (Renata de Lelis) and Yago (Eduardo Mendonca) meet and have a one night stand on the beach.  Their tryst is interrupted by a warning to take shelter immediately because toxic pink clouds, which kill people within ten seconds of exposure, are mysteriously appearing around the world.  Even though they are little more than strangers, Giovana and Yago end up quarantining together in her mother’s spacious and luxurious apartment and, at first, it seems like an adventure as they wait for the clouds to dissipate.  However, weeks turn to months then years and the tension begins to mount.  Giovana is ever hopeful that her former life will resume at any moment but Yago is perfectly content to make a life with her in their beautiful apartment and suggests that they have a child.  She is reluctant but eventually agrees.  The birth of her son Lilo causes her to spiral into a deeper depression because she views his life as hopeless and she retreats even further from reality while Yago and Lilo become more comfortable in it.  This movie begins with a title card stating that it was written in 2017 and shot in 2019 so any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental.  However, I couldn't help but view this movie through the lens of my own experience in lockdown.  I was particularly struck by the subplot involving Giovana's friend Sara (Kaya Rodrigues), who succumbs to loneliness, because I had to quarantine by myself and I also felt very cut off from the world.  Sometimes what happens on the screen made me uncomfortable, and even angry (when the couple reacts differently to the situation it is the woman who is pressured to give in), but the narrative is compelling and the images are beautiful.  I loved the ethereal pink color palette that suffuses almost every shot and I also enjoyed the meticulous production design as the apartment changes and deteriorates as time goes on.  Lelis and Mendonca have great chemistry and give powerful performances as they portray the ebb and flow of a complicated relationship.  This is an atmospheric psychological thriller that might hit a little too close to home but I definitely recommend it.

Note:  I am looking forward to seeing some of the movies premiering this year at Sundance at the Broadway when they are given a wide release!  I am compiling a list!