Larissa (Gaya Medeiros) is trans, and she walks the streets at night looking for clients. One night she stumbles across Cláudio (Ivo Canelas), and the conversation that ensues shakes them both. They both come from different walks of life, they have never crossed paths with one another, and they seemingly have nothing in common. Yet, once they begin speaking to one another, they learn that there is far more than meets the eye. An Avocado Pit is a film about finding common ground and not judging a book by its cover.
There’s always something else in the frame that isn’t obviously relevant to the moment. It’s usually a light of some sort, and it’s used to affect the tone and mood of the film–as well as the characters. An Avocado Pit always sees the screen full, often with things that seem like they don’t fit–but this team finds ways to use light (which, again, is often the thing that helps to fill the screen) to illuminate the important things in frame. Whether it’s Larissa, Cláudio, or something else entirely, An Avocado Pit never fails to showcase just the right thing at just the right time. The characters are often made to pop, to jump off the screen–and viewers are able to better connect with them as a result.
An Avocado Pit, just given the subject matter, could have quickly become political. The film could have easily become a social and political commentary that attempted to force ideas and opinions on viewers–but it avoids that. There isn’t much mention of these things, there isn’t much, again, considering the content, that looks to divide viewers or make them think a certain way. As An Avocado Pit plays out, it also seems like there is only one direction in which the relationship between Larissa and Cláudio can go–but Writer-Director Ary Zara avoids this, and he makes sure not to do the things that viewers anticipated throughout.
There’s certainly a sexual tension that exists between the two leads, and Zara even makes sure to mention it throughout the course of An Avocado Pit–but he never takes it too far. Once things actually become sexual, I think the film loses meaning–so, it’s of massive importance that Zara doesn’t overstep, and he finds impeccable balance from beginning to end. While viewers will certainly anticipate one thing, and while they believe that the film will only be complete once that thing has occurred, I think those viewers will be relieved once An Avocado Pit ends in a different way. I think the film ends the only way that it can for it to effectively reach viewers. Had Zara followed the expected storyline, the film ultimately becomes about sex, nothing more, nothing less. At that point the film loses meaning, and viewers struggle to find a connection to it. An Avocado Pit doesn’t end the best way, it ends the only way.
Going into An Avocado Pit, I think there will be a lot of viewers that start by rolling their eyes, by being frustrated with the often over-discussed topics that are present in the film. Honestly, that makes sense; but there is so much more to this film. An Avocado Pit becomes much more about human connection, being accepting, and not judging a book by its cover. Ending in the best possible way, An Avocado Pit effectively reaches audiences without being divisive or overly sexual–and it does more than just serve its purpose by the end, it truly entertains.
Written & Directed by Ary Zara.
Starring Gaya Medeiros, Ivo Canelas, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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