And the power of the three leads really shines when they’re together. He has moronic bullies that target him, but nothing slips into dark territory. It’s really about how Leonardo craves independence and an opportunity to grow up like his peers. The “love triangle” that grows from this isn’t really even one in the truest sense, because melodrama isn’t what this film cares about at all. Leonardo ( Ghilherme Lobo), a blind teen, and his close friend, Giovana ( Tess Amorim), bring new student Gabriel ( Fabio Audi) into their small group. The problems faced by the three teens at the center of this story may have low stakes in the long run, but there’s a realism and sweetness that grounds it all. Director Daniel Ribeiro, along with the same three leads from his short film, returns to tackle this fleshed-out story. What started out as a Brazilian 2010 short film developed into this feature-length story of early love and friendship.
