What price must a queer individual pay to achieve success in their chosen profession? With dramatic tension that doesn’t rely solely on sex, this erotic thriller poses affecting questions through two unlikely lovers.
A daring and provocative work that defies genre and pushes boundaries, creating a vibrant, compelling exploration of the concept of desire.
Night Stage 2025
Ato noturno
When ambitious theatre actor Mathias (Gabriel Faryas) meets closeted politician Rafael (Cirillo Luna), their would-be one-night stand is maintained by unbridled sexual desire and a mutual lust for danger. In its exploration of the duality that contemporary professionalism demands, the film blurs the line between public and private personas as both men are driven to the edge of their identities.
This queer take on the erotic thriller provides a satirical insight into the lengths Mathias and Rafael must go to earn their place in heteronormative environments, while their penchant for sex in public spaces is in equal measures kinky, intense, and perilous.
This visually stunning neo-noir feature gives its protagonists room to explore these ideas, as they explore each other. When Mathias and Rafael are alone together, societal pressures to conform and perform are replaced with the freedom to indulge in the many facets of their sexualities, fuelled by internal torment and shared ecstasy. Vivid depictions of raw sexuality are entwined with pertinent questions – how do antiquated ideas about sex and masculinity inform our ideas about right and wrong? — Madison Marshall