Argentina / France / Brazil / Mexico 2022, 95 min, Spanish, Hebrew & English subtitles

Lalo Santos is a star: thousands of followers view his nude photos and porn videos, and he is even cast in the role of Emiliano Zapata in an ambitious porn film about the Mexican revolution. He repeatedly films his toned body and his displays of sexual dominance over other men, and receives countless offers from fans. At times he seems to enjoy his influencer status, money, and freedom, but underneath it all, there is loneliness and the feeling of having missed out. The camera follows Lalo through moments of great exposure, physical and emotional: in conversations with other actors on set, in sexual encounters he directs and films, at the clinic, and on the phone with his mother. Little by little, these moments raise poignant questions about the difference between sexuality and intimacy, and the detachment that comes with working in the sex industry.

Previous Festivals: IDFA

Manuel Abramovich (b. Buenos Aires, 1987) is a filmmaker and director of photography.
His work explores the performativity of the everyday. In his films, ordinary people become characters.
He graduated as a Director of Photography at ENERC and is a Berlinale Talents and IDFA Summer School alumni. His films have been shown at festivals such as Berlinale, Venice, Tribeca, MoMA Doc Fortnight, Viennale, IDFA, San Sebastián, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Cinéma du Réel, BAFICI and received numerous awards. His first short film ‘The Queen’ won over 50 international awards, while ‘Blue Boy’, his latest work, won the Silver Bear at the Berlinale Shorts Competition 2019.
In the last years, he has been invited as a lecturer and mentor in institutions such as Princeton University, Werkleitz Center, Berlinale Talents, UnionDocs, Tres Puertos Cine, IDFA, Maestría de Cine Alternativo EICTV Cuba. Manuel is currently working on the development of two new projects: ‘Cowboy Love’ and ‘The Pain’.

Production: Gema Juarez Allen, David Hurst, Rachel Daisy Ellis
Production Company: Gema Films, Desvia Films, Dublin Films
Script: Manuel Abramovich, Fernando Krapp
Editing: Anita Remón, Juan Soto
Cinematography: Manuel Abramovich
Sound Design: Roberta Ainstein