Motel Destino

Motel Destino
Release poster
Directed by	Karim Aïnouz
Written by	Wislan Esmeraldo Karim Aïnouz Mauricio Zacharias
Produced by	Hélène Théodoly Gabrielle Tana Michael Weber Viola Fügen Didar Domehri André Novis Caio Gullane Fabiano Gullane Janaina Bernardes
Starring	Iago Xavier Nataly Rocha Fábio Assunção
Cinematography	Hélène Louvart
Edited by	Nelly Quettier
Music by	Amine Bouhafa
Production companies	Cinema Inflamável Gullane Maneki Films Match Factory Productions Globo Filmes Telecine Canal Brasil
Distributed by	Pandora Filmes (Brazil) Tandem Films (France)
Release date	22 May 2024 (2024-05-22) (Cannes)
Running time	115 minutes
Countries	Brazil France Germany
Language	Portuguese

Motel Destino is a 2024 erotic thriller film directed and co-written by Karim Aïnouz. It stars Iago Xavier, Nataly Rocha and Fábio Assunção in the lead roles.

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or and Queer Palm at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered on 22 May 2024.

Premise

The neon-hued Motel Destino, a roadside sex hotel shimmering (or a similar word) under the burning blue skies of the northeastern coast of Brazil, is run by hot-headed Elias and his restless younger wife Dayana. The unexpected arrival of 21-year-old Heraldo, on the run after a botched hit, disrupts the established order. As the tropical noir plays out, loyalties and desires intertwine to reveal that destiny has its own enigmatic design.

Cast

• Iago Xavier as Heraldo
• Nataly Rocha as Dayana
• Fábio Assunção as Elias

Production

Motel Destino was produced by Cinema Inflamável and Gullane in co-production with Globo Filmes, Telecine, and Canal Brasil, and co-produced internationally by Maneki Films (France) and The Match Factory (Germany). The screenplay was written by Wislan Esmeraldo, in collaboration with Aïnouz and Mauricio Zacharias. The film was shot entirely in Ceará, where Aïnouz hails from. Iago Xavier and Nataly Rocha were selected for the lead roles after an extensive audition process which included over 500 actors.

Release

Motel Destino was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 22 May 2024.

Pandora Filmes is scheduled to theatrically release the film in Brazil while Tandem Films is handling distribution in France, Brouhaha/Written Rock are handling the UK rights, and worldwide sales are entrusted to The Match Factory.

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 82% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 6 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref.
Cannes Film Festival	25 May 2024	Palme d'Or	Karim Aïnouz	Nominated
		Queer Palm		Nominated

External links

• Motel Destino at IMDb