Private Desert

A selection of the Venice Film Festival and Brazil's official submission to the Academy Awards, Private Desert boasts lush cinematography and a hauntingly atmospheric score. You'll never hear "Total Eclipse of the Heart" the same way again. The film follows Daniel (Antonio Saboia), a police academy teacher who has been placed on unpaid leave after a violent incident. The only thing holding him together is his cyber romance with Robson (Pedro Fasanaro), an attractive young gender-fluid worker who goes by "Sara" online and keeps their female identity secret in daily life. When Sara suddenly goes missing, Daniel drives 2,000 miles across Brazil to find her. He posts Sara's picture all over town but no one recognizes her... until he receives a mysterious call from someone claiming to know her and asking to meet. What follows is a journey of the heart that will change both lovers forever. In the tradition of A Fantastic Woman and Strawberry and Chocolate, Private Desert is both a swooning, sun-baked romance and a triumphant affirmation of queer love and humanity at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly imperiled.