It has been some time since I watched a movie set during the Pandemic, but this production immediately transported me back to that bizarre era that feels like a lifetime ago. By writing the script and starring as the lead character Chico, the Brazilian filmmaker successfully recreates that specific headspace of isolation, Zoom calls, and the social distancing that eventually became a new normal. However, the film is dull. While the director's intended message might have worked well as a short film, the actual experience involves stretching everything into long scenes where almost nothing happens. Living through lockdown alone, Chico is a bear who treats covid protocols like sacred law, spending his time watering plants and following workout videos. This rigidity has caused his friends to label him the protocol police, a reputation that has slowly pushed them all away. During a Zoom call, he receives even more bad news when his long-distance boyfriend ends their relationship, claiming he is no longer bisexual and has been sleeping with women throughout the pandemic. Despite his lonely routines, Chico remains horny, and watching porn is no longer enough to satisfy him. He reaches out to an old flame to arrange a hookup in perhaps the least seductive manner possible, asking the guy if he would like to have sex while following all the protocols. When the guy arrives, a charged scene of sexual simulation unfolds behind plastic curtains, eventually leading to them being fully naked and having sex with their masks still on. However, the moment the guy pulls his mask off,…

In Oaxaca, southern Mexico, the Zapotec people recognize muxes as a third gender, living out their identities in a non-binary way. Because Mexican culture is largely machista, muxes frequently take on caregiver roles, earning significant respect for both their contributions and their very existence. Rather than a standard movie, this film acts as a piece of visual art that immerses you in the actual experience of being a muxe. I cannot imagine another film that operates so much like a painting brought to life. It is a vibrant burst of creativity and culture, overflowing with life, love, and genuine heartbreak. Even if you do not walk away loving it strictly as a story, the sheer vividness and beauty of the visuals are undeniable. Centering on a community of muxes who challenge the binary concept of gender, the film tracks three individuals—Delirio, Amaranta, and Mariano—as they navigate their pasts, presents, and futures in search of what they lack. As the group's elder, Delirio mentors the younger muxes while simultaneously managing the solitary care of her aging mother and refusing to yield to the sexist, heteropatriarchal harassment from the men in her life; she also deals with a lover in Finland who sends letters but avoids any real commitment. Amaranta struggles with the rejection of her violent, angry father, who remains unable to accept his son's third gender identity, and her life is further marked by a lack of love, exemplified by a straight man who only visits when it is convenient for him. Meanwhile, Mariano is a teenager still discovering his…