A Linha Fria do Horizonte

The Cold Line of the Horizon is a music documentary feature film about the work and thoughts of a group of songwriters from Uruguay, Argentina and Southern Brazil who share the fact that their work represents the landscape and the local feeling and ignores the borders among their countries. The Brazilian Vitor Ramil, the Uruguayans Daniel and Jorge Drexler and the Argentinean Kevin Johansen are some of the artists who use their creations to ponder on the issues of local and global identity permeated by the cold weather, each one in his own way. The first narrative line of the documentary is about three considerations. The Brazilian singer and composer Vitor Ramil is the one who starts and guides the movie with his theory about the Aesthetics of the Cold (Estética do Frio), which questions the stereotypes of Brasil Tropical (Tropical Brazil), country of the heat, samba and Carnaval. Vitors ideas find their echo in Uruguay, with the brothers Daniel and Jorge Drexler who talk about Templadismo, the aesthetics of a temperate climate influenced by the flat landscape devoid of landforms. In Argentina, Kevin Johansen talks about a Subtropicalismo, referencing the Brazilian movement from the late 60s known as Tropicalismo. Since the motto for the Tropicalistas was Alegria, Alegria (Happiness, Happiness), for the Subtropicalistas it could be Melancholia, Melancholia, says Johansen referring to a song by the Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso. The second narrative line takes a stroll through the representation of the landscapes in the Platine region in the lyrics, melodies and tunes of the songs by the local artists. Besides the musicians already mentioned, the documentary also includes artists such as Fernando Cabrera, Ana Prada, Carlos Moscardini, Marcelo Delacroix and others. Finally, the documentary is narratively supported by the connections made among the musicians in that area. Its the portrait of a spontaneous cultural and artistic movement in which new partnerships and compositions are made each time the musicians meet. Its the record of the disruption of linguistic and political barriers and the creation of several connections and bonds that are happening this exact moment in the cold line of the horizon.