Mars One (film)
Mars One () is a 2022 Brazilian family drama film written and directed by Gabriel Martins. It tells the story of Deivinho (Cícero Lucas), a Black Brazilian youth who dreams of becoming an astrophysicist and joining a mission to the planet Mars. Deivinho's parents and sister are hard-working and support each other but live precariously on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte. The film dramatizes the social upheaval amongst Brazil's poor that greeted the election of populist Jair Bolsonaro. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and had a successful run at smaller film festivals, including jury wins at the L.A. Outfest and Nashville Film Festival. It was chosen as Brazil's entry in the 95th Academy Awards. It is distributed by ARRAY Releasing and went into wide release on Netflix (only in the USA) in January 2023. Plot The film follows a family of four in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The youngest, Deivinho (Cícero Lucas), is on the cusp of adolescence. Curious and imaginative, his dream is to become an astrophysicist and join a Mars One mission in 2030 in order to begin colonizing the red planet. While his hopes give the film an organizing motive, screen time is shared amongst all four members. His older sister Eunice (Camilla Damião) is almost to adulthood. Although loving, she chafes against traditional family roles and the idea of remaining homebound. She begins a romantic relationship with another young woman and fears telling her parents, particularly her traditional father, Wellington (Carlos Francisco). Much of the film's action centres on the children's relationship with the patriarch. Wellington is doting and emotionally demonstrative but he can be temperamental and often imposes his own aspirations on his daughter and son. Having been an avid footballer as a youth, he insists Deivinho play soccer; the boy is indifferent to the game and plays only to please him. The family's finances are precarious and Wellington works long hours in pool cleaning and landscaping. At the outset of the film, he has been sober for four years. Mother Tercia (Rejane Faria) often plays the role of family mediator and also works hard as an outside housekeeper to pay the household bills. Early in the film she is subject to a hidden camera prank—a seemingly emotionally deranged man lets off a dummy stick of dynamite in a diner beside her—prompting headaches and a coinciding series of unfortunate events. She comes to believe she is cursed as the film progresses, adding a darkly comic subthread. Family conflicts eventually reach a head. Wellington erupts in anger in front Eunice's new girlfriend, Joana (Ana Hilãrio), and Eunice proceeds with a plan to leave home. Later, Deivinho faces a conflict: his father insists he attend a soccer tryout after an invitation from footballer Juan Pablo Sorin. On the same Saturday, the boy planned to visit a science fair featuring astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson. Deivinho, playing outside against his father's wishes the day before, breaks his leg riding a bicycle, rendering both plans moot. Wellington faces