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Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.

"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.