Night Stage

Matias (Gabriel Faryas) is a talented young actor starring in an avant-garde theatre production alongside his friend, Fabio (Henrique Barreira). After Fabio is offered the lead role in a huge TV production, a jealous Matias strikes up a steamy relationship with Rafael (Cirillo Luna), a charismatic politician on the verge of being elected mayor. Rafael also happens to know the director of the TV show and helps Matias land the part instead. Meanwhile, the pair discover they’re both drawn to the dangerous thrill of public sex. As their image and reputation become increasingly important, the risk of exposure threatens to destroy their careers.

Written and directed by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon (Hard Paint), Night Stage is a sexually charged and atmospheric Hitchcockian thriller that’s carried by fearless performances from Faryas and Luna. It’s also overlong and padded out, running out of momentum long before the final act turns up the heat.

Like the filmmakers’ previous works, their latest feature is visually sublime. Vibrant, oversaturated colours contrast sharply with shadows of city streets while stage lights bathe actors in a neon glow. This creates a feverish and dreamlike atmosphere that’s further heightened by a gorgeous score by Thiago Pethit, which takes its cues from film noir as bluesy woodwinds clash with dissonant strings.

Faryas and Luna are as intoxicating as the film’s tone. Their chemistry is palpable, and the pair regularly push boundaries. Although the directors know how to make scenes evocative and sensual, Matias’s many sexual escapades become unnecessary detours that distract from the main plot. The narrative plods on in the background as Matias moves from one encounter to the next. It’s only in the final 30 minutes of the two-hour runtime that the conflict that’s been quietly simmering offscreen kicks the story into a dramatic finale. 

Night Stage is a spellbinding work of cinema that’s frequently daring in its exploration of voyeurism and identity. It’s also a film that’s unfocused and habitually loses itself down erotic rabbit holes. Had the pacing been tighter and the preamble trimmed down, the momentum could have carried over into an explosive conclusion.

Andrew Murray

Night Stage is released in select cinemas on 3^rd April 2026.

Watch the trailer for Night Stage here: