The walls in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte are inundated with painted pictures and words, from stunning murals to old-school graffiti, and from enigmatic cries from the heart to furious cursing. Marcos Pimentel uses his mostly static camera to capture an impressive number of these public statements, painting a picture of the city as a canvas for artists, poets, and outraged citizens. Ranging from the ironic to the inflamed, the words and images of murals, tags, and posters give a voice to the voiceless.

In Skin, fragments of memory and silent screams reveal the desires, fears, fantasies, and daydreams of those who inhabit urban centers. The letters and drawings interact with the different bodies that move through the public space with cars driving past, buses stopping, and pedestrians hurrying along—some of them unaware of the artwork behind them, others quickly snapping a selfie.

“One of the most beautiful films of this or any year, Skin (Pele) is a city symphony, an evocation of what life is like in Belo Horizonte, the sixth largest municipality in Brazil. Marcos Pimentel’s film uses no narration, so we hear no dialogue at all. For 75 minutes, the audience is liberated from the tyranny of language and linear narratives.” – Marc Glassman, POV Magazine

“Focused and quietly cumulative, Pimentel's unconventional city symphony is supported by a sound design that weaves together richly ambient soundscapes, music, field recordings of protests and more. Winner of a special mention at the most recent IDFA, in Skin the walls don't just talk—they rally.” – Jesse Cumming, Hotdogs

"Within minutes one is washed away on a gentle tide of emotion and association.” — Modern Times Review

Hot Docs; Cinelatino Tolouse; It’s All True Film Festival; Shanghai International Film Festival; IDFA – Special Mention, Envision Award