Review of Feito pipa: Glittering and sparkling, we dance in Gugu’s world, which is filled with movement, lightness, and his grandmother.
In Feito pipa (pt. like a kite), Gugu’s world is told with great joie de vivre. Gugu is a bright person with many dreams and goals. The relationship between Gugu and her grandmother is colorful and deep, expressed through their shared passion for beauty. Beauty is not seen as superficiality, but as an expression of joie de vivre. The process of dressing up, putting on makeup, and getting ready seems genuine and radiates a sense of connection.
This perspective is important. Negative associations and the devaluation of makeup, glitter, and clothing are a devaluation of femininity. The portrayal of a deep and expressive exploration of one’s own expression and appearance is powerful and empowering.
It is music that brings melancholy into Gugu’s world. It is accompanied by slow impressions of nature. From now on, Gugu’s grandmother is accompanied by forgetfulness and lostness, which means that Gugu and his friends have to take on responsibility at an early age. They don’t really know what to do, so they give her sleeping pills and lock her up.
When things come to a standstill and his grandmother’s dementia becomes increasingly pronounced, Gugu has to go and live with his father. His world gradually loses its sparkle and color. His father disparages femininity and only supports Gugu’s soccer playing because it is considered “masculine.” In doing so, his father projects his own insecurity and gender stereotypes onto his child and is afraid of being laughed at himself. Watching this is painful and has a lasting effect. Because Gugu loses touch with himself due to his inability to express himself. As the actor who plays the father himself mentions in an audience Q&A, he sees the father symbolically as a part that we all carry within us, with which we do not give others the space to be free themselves. His character therefore not only reflects conservative attitudes, but also encourages self-criticism.
Especially touching are moments of emotion. Gugu experiences these very intensely. Contrary to the learned expectation of loud and screaming “out of anger,” he is very quiet. His anger is silent.
The film depicts a life in which the sparkle gradually disappears, yet manages to counter the melancholy with lightness. Authenticity, connectedness, and detachment from expectations are often linked to people and places, and as soon as these disappear, things become difficult. For Gugu and for all of us.
Feito pipa is a manifesto for a connected and colorful life, for being human, for mistakes, and for hopeful courage.
Image source: © Aditya Varma
Translated with the help of DeepL
