Karim Aïnouz is following up his 2023 English-language debut “Firebrand” with a return to his Brazilian roots.
For his second consecutive Cannes premiere, Aïnouz helmed erotic thriller “Motel Destino” which will screen in competition at the festival. “Motel Destino” is Aïnouz’s sixth Cannes premiere, with his 2019 feature “Invisible Life” winning the Un Certain Regard award.
“Motel Destino” stars Iago Xavier and Nataly Rocha, who were selected from an extensive casting process, and renowned Brazilian actor Fabio Assunção. The official synopsis reads: “The neon-hued Motel Destino is a roadside sex hotel under the burning blue skies of the Northeastern coast of Brazil, run by the boorish Elias and his frustrated, beautiful wife Dayana. When 21-year-old Heraldo finds himself at the motel, after messing up a hit and going on the run from both the police and the gang he let down, Dayana finds herself intrigued and lets him stay. As the two navigate a dance of power, desire and liberation, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges. In this tropical noir, loyalties and desires intertwine, revealing that destiny has its own enigmatic design.”
“Motel Destino” was entirely shot in Aïnouz’s homeland of Ceará. The script was written by Wislan Esmeraldo, in collaboration with Aïnouz and Mauricio Zacharias, Aïnouz’s long-time writing partner from “Madame Satã” and “Love for Sale.”
“Today is a day for celebration. To return to Cannes with a film that is so close to my heart is an immense joy, a two-fold journey home,” Aïnouz said in a press statement. “‘Motel Destino’ is an unquenchable, fervent, and sensual tale. I’ve been given the chance to immerse myself in the exploration of fresh aesthetic and dramatic avenues. Beneath Ceará’s unforgiving sun, I’ve ventured to conjure a new film, infused with sweat, desire, elation, and the raw vitality of those who are truly hungry to exist.”
Fellow Aïnouz collaborator cinematographer Hélène Louvart is back following their work together on “Firebrand” and “Invisible Life.” Production was headed by Janaina Bernardes from Cinema Inflamável, Bernardes and Aïnouz’s production outfit, and Fabiano Gullane and Caio Gullane from Gullane, one of Brazil’s leading production outlets.
Yet even after “Motel Destino” Aïnouz is going back to English-language features. His second will be “Rosebushpruning” starring Kristen Stewart, Josh O’Connor, and Elle Fanning.
“Motel Destino” is a Cinema Inflamável and Gullane production and was co-produced internationally by Maneki Films (France) and The Match Factory (Germany), in association with Brouhaha Entertainment and Written Rock Films (UK), Tigresa, Matizar Filmes, and Filmes del Fuego. The Brazilian co-producers are Globo Filmes, Telecine, and Canal Brasil. The production was supported by Aide aux cinémas du monde – CNC, MedienboardBerlin-Brandenburg, and the Department of Culture of the State of Ceará. Tandem Films is handling the French distribution, Brouhaha/Written Rock are handling the UK rights, and The Match Factory is handling worldwide sales.
Other Cannes first looks have been released for “Bird” directed by Andrea Arnold and “Holy Spider” filmmaker Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice.”
