The Film
Written and directed by:
Lucas Estevan Soares
Year:
2023
Starring:
Lucas Estevan Soares; Ana de Ferro; Wawa Black; Paulo Matos; Wagner Jovanaci
Produced by:
Rhaissa Gonçalves
Synopsis:
Fernando follows his father in his telemessage service called "Coração de Neon." Aboard a customized car, they are hired to deliver live messages. After a performance that ends in tragedy, Fernando's life changes completely and he embarks on a mind-bending journey in the name of love.
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Story
Context
Coração de Neon is a Brazilian feature film in the drama and action genres, written and directed by Lucas Estevan Soares and produced by Rhaissa Gonçalves. The film was first screened on April 7, 2022 at Cinemark Memorial City in Houston (USA). From there it participated in several national and international festivals, premiering in Brazilian theaters on March 9, 2023. Coração de Neon received several nominations, winning awards at the Moscow International Film Festival in Russia, the Houston International Film Festival (WorldFest Houston) in the United States, and at FestCine Pedra Azul in Espírito Santo.
The New Brazilian Popular Cinema
Coração de Neon had its European premiere at the 75th Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival in France, where it was hailed by critics as 'The New Brazilian Popular Cinema.' This means the film strikes the perfect balance between commercial cinema and auteur cinema.
1st Brazilian Dolby Atmos 9.1 Film
The feature is the first Brazilian film with Dolby Atmos 9.1 immersive sound technology, which places the viewer inside a 'bubble' where sound can come from any direction, depending on what happens in the film, allowing the listener to perceive the difference between sounds received from different directions.
Pre-production
Pré-Production Coração de Neon
Check out the behind-the-scenes images from the pre-production of Coração de Neon.
Production
Production Coração de Neon
Coração de Neon foi produzido por Rhaissa Gonçalves e Lucas Estevan Soares através da International House of Cinema (IHC), que financiou com recursos próprios 100% do orçamento de R$ 1,5 milhão empregado no projeto, captado por seus trabalhos desenvolvidos nos Estados Unidos. A produção independente, ao estilo "cinema de guerrilha", não utilizou recursos de financiamento público. Durante a fase de distribuição, o filme trouxe abordo mais um investidor privado, o empresário de tecnologia Mehdi Avdi, que investiu mais US$ 100 mil direcionados para custos de marketing e distribuição.
O longa-metragem foi filmado no segundo semestre de 2019 em Curitiba, no bairro Boqueirão, com a pós-produção sendo realizada durante a pandemia de covid-19. Primeiro filme brasileiro finalizado com a tecnologia de som imersivo Dolby Atmos, o longa contou com um elenco inteiramente saído da cena artística curitibana.
A ideia para o projeto surgiu do fascínio do diretor Lucas Estevan Soares pela dinâmica dos serviços de telemensagens, e daí imaginar uma perseguição envolvendo um desses veículos, materializado na obra como "Boquelove", apelido do Ford Corcel Luxo de cor azul e ano 1975 que dá nome ao filme.
Check out the behind-the-scenes images from the production of Coração de Neon.
Post-production
Post-production Coração de Neon
Check out the behind-the-scenes images from the post-production of Coração de Neon.
Criadores
Lucas Estevan Soares
Screenwriter, Director, Actor
Lucas Estevan Soares is a filmmaker, actor, screenwriter and entrepreneur. His first cinema project was Trilhos Independentes, where he traveled to 27 countries making films on his own, resulting in a collection of 7 short films. The showcase was invited to screen at film festivals, universities and alternative venues across Europe, Africa and Latin America. He wrote, directed, edited and produced many shorts and documentaries through his production company International House of Cinema, founded in 2012 in Brazil. In 2019, the feature film Coração de Neon was shot, marking his debut as director/screenwriter. In 2023, the film was released in theaters, establishing Lucas as one of the pioneering filmmakers of the New Brazilian Popular Cinema.
Mini Documentary
Follow the behind-the-scenes journey of Coração de Neon in this exclusive mini documentary, revealing the challenges and achievements of the team throughout the entire production.
Cast & Crew Interviews
Festivals
Film Festival Screenings
Coração de Neon had its world premiere on April 7, 2022, at the 55th Houston International Film Festival (WorldFest Houston), where it was awarded the Remi Trophy ("Special Jury Prize" category). It was then screened for an enthusiastic audience at the 24th RiverRun International Film Festival. Director Lucas Estevan Soares and producer Rhaissa Gonçalves attended both events in person — you can follow their entire journey in the videos below.
After these two milestone events, Coração de Neon continued screening at film festivals across the United States, Europe and Asia, before arriving in Brazil at the end of 2022 at the 5th FestCine Pedra Azul, where it won in nearly every category.
Film Markets & Industry Events
Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes - Cannes, France
Coração de Neon participated in the world's largest film market in May 2022, the 75th Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes. The film was screened at the Olympia Theatre, the only Dolby ATMOS®-equipped venue in all of southern France. The screening was a success, and it was after this event that critics hailed Coração de Neon as the "New Brazilian Popular Cinema."
Web Series: Coração de Neon at Cannes 2022
Watch the 15-episode web series about Coração de Neon at the world's largest film market: the Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes (2022). Use the arrows to navigate and click the images below to watch each episode.
Expocine - São Paulo, Brasil
Director Lucas Estevan Soares was invited to Expocine in São Paulo to officially announce alongside Dolby Labs that Coração de Neon is the first Dolby ATMOS® immersive sound film from Brazil. All the major players of the Brazilian film industry were present at the event.
Vista - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Director Lucas Estevan Soares was invited to VISTA in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to officially announce alongside Dolby Labs that Coração de Neon is the first Dolby ATMOS® immersive sound film from Brazil.
It was an incredible and transformative experience for the film's journey, opening doors for theatrical distribution in cinemas across Argentina and Uruguay.
Watch the behind-the-scenes of Coração de Neon at Vista Latam Cinema Show.
Awards
Winner
2022
REMI Trophy (Special Jury Award)
55th Houston International Film Festival (WorldFest)
2022
Best Foreign Language Film
44th Moscow International Film Festival
2022
Best Film
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
2022
Best Director — Lucas Estevan Soares
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
2022
Best Screenplay — Lucas Estevan Soares
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
2022
Best Actress — Ana de Ferro
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
Nominated
2022
Audience Award
24th RiverRun International Film Festival
2022
Best Film (Semifinalist)
19th Big Apple Film Festival (BAFF)
2022
Best Film
11th Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (CBFF)
2022
Best Drama Film
30th Cinequest Film & VR Festival
2022
Shooting Stars Award
5th Nòt Film Fest
2022
Best Actor — Lucas Estevan Soares
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
2022
Best Actress — Ana de Ferro
5th FestCine Pedra Azul
2022
Bilo Cinema Award
12th Balneário Camboriú International Film Festival (FICBC)
Release
Premiere Rio de Janeiro
The premiere of Coração de Neon at UCI Barra da Tijuca was met with enthusiastic reactions from the audience, celebrity appearances, and even a line to take photos with the cast at the backdrop.
Premiere São Paulo
The Coração de Neon premiere in São Paulo filled Cine Marquise to capacity. After the screening, a Q&A session was held with the cast and crew members present and the audience.
Premiere Curitiba
The Coração de Neon premiere took place at Teatro Positivo Grand Auditorium and featured a pioneering event with a red carpet, cast appearance, press coverage, and a celebration cocktail. The theater welcomed 2,000 people that evening.
Behind the Scenes - Curitiba Premiere
Click on the images below to see behind the scenes of the setup and crew preparation for the Coração de Neon premiere event in Curitiba.
Premiere Medianeira
The final premiere of Coração de Neon took place in rural Paraná, in the city of Medianeira at Cinesul cinema. In a cozy and intimate setting, the cinema hosted a screening for 50 people.
Theatrical Release
Argentina Release
Advertising
Advertising campaigns carried out during the release and distribution period of Coração de Neon.
Partnerships:
Click on the photos below to watch the advertising campaigns carried out during the release and promotion of Coração de Neon. All videos below are the result of partnerships with Brazilian brands. In order: Los Paleteros (1 and 2); WayBeer (3); Tropical Banana (4); Midialand (5); Tinder (6); Vidrama (7); UP Experience (8).
Promo:
Click on the photos below to watch the promotional campaigns carried out during the release and distribution of Coração de Neon in cinemas.
Events:
Click on the photos below to watch videos from the events held to promote the release of Coração de Neon in cinemas. In order: Shinobis Experience (1); Carnaval Nerd (2); Mornings Curitiba (3); Menô Skate Bar (4).
Results
Cinemas
Coração de Neon had 4 public premieres, played in Brazilian cinemas for 6 weeks, and reached an audience of approximately 10,000 people.
Streaming
Coração de Neon is currently available to watch on various streaming platforms. Click the button below to choose your preferred platform and be redirected to the access link.