A new biographical musical drama, Homem com H, is now available for streaming on Netflix, bringing the story of one of Brazil’s most influential and provocative artists, Ney Matogrosso, to a global audience. The film, directed and written by Esmir Filho, chronicles the life of the iconic singer, whose career defied political repression and redefined notions of gender and performance in Latin America. The movie arrives on the platform following a successful domestic theatrical run in Brazil, where it attracted more than 620,000 viewers, grossed over R$ 13 million, and became one of the highest-rated films of the year on the review site Letterboxd. While the film’s official title is a direct reference to one of Matogrosso’s most famous songs, it is being released internationally as Latin Blood – The Ballad of Ney Matogrosso. This alternate title, referencing another of the artist’s celebrated songs, “Sangue Latino,” points to a marketing strategy that prioritizes a broader theme of pan-Latin identity for audiences unfamiliar with the nuances of Brazilian culture. The original title, Homem com H, however, remains central to the film’s message, co-opting a colloquial expression for virility to celebrate an artist who dismantled it.
The film presents a narrative of liberation forged in defiance. It follows Ney de Souza Pereira, who would later adopt the stage name Ney Matogrosso, on a journey through the pivotal stages of his life. From a childhood in Brazil’s heartland, marked by a passion for nature and the oppressive authority of an emotionally distant military father, the story charts his path through adolescence and into an adulthood where he would shatter prejudice to become a cultural force. The screenplay, based on the biography Ney Matogrosso: A biografia by Julio Maria, frames Matogrosso’s public persona as the direct result of his private struggles. His artistic identity, characterized by radical freedom, is shown not as a mere aesthetic choice but as a necessary response to a lifetime of confronting authority, a theme director Esmir Filho identified as the core of the story. This central theme is explored through the key relationships that defined his life: the foundational conflict with his father, Antônio; the creative crucible of his first band, Secos & Molhados; and the profound love and loss experienced in his relationships with other musicians, including the iconic Brazilian rocker Cazuza and his partner Marco de Maria. The film addresses the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, which deeply affected Matogrosso’s circle, with a respectful focus on the human element of fear, prejudice, and the insecurity people felt, rather than making the disease the sole focus of the narrative.
The real Ney Matogrosso was a cultural phenomenon whose impact extended far beyond music. Ranked by Rolling Stone as the third greatest Latin American singer of all time, he emerged on the Brazilian scene in 1971 as the frontman for the glam-folk band Secos & Molhados, alongside João Ricardo and Gerson Conrad. With his unique, high-pitched countertenor voice and androgynous stage presence, he became an instant sensation. The group sold a million records in less than two years, a staggering achievement. After the band split, Matogrosso launched an even more provocative and successful solo career, defined by outlandish costumes, elaborate makeup, and daring, fluid movements. His combination of avant-garde artistry and massive commercial success was remarkable; he was not a niche performer but a mainstream star who brought transgressive, queer-coded performance into the homes of millions with hits like “América do Sul” and “Bandolero”. This made him impossible to ignore, forcing a national conversation about identity and freedom.
His rise to fame coincided with the most repressive period of Brazil’s military dictatorship. Secos & Molhados appeared on the scene just as the regime, which began in 1964, entered its most severe phase, the anos de chumbo (years of lead), following the decree of Institutional Act V in 1968. While some left-wing groups engaged in armed struggle against the state, Matogrosso waged a different kind of war. His rebellion was aesthetic. His body, his voice, and his performances became sites of political resistance. Openly fluid in his sexuality at a time of rigid conservatism, he challenged the status quo with a gender-bending style that was neither traditionally masculine nor feminine. His work went beyond simple opposition to the government; it was a counter-cultural movement that rebelled against broader societal norms concerning music, nationalism, and the body itself. By achieving a level of popularity that rivaled any mainstream act, he demonstrated that cultural subversion could be a powerful tool against authoritarianism, challenging power by rewiring the culture’s understanding of identity.
Director Esmir Filho’s vision for Latin Blood was to translate this life force into a cinematic language. The film consciously avoids the formulaic “greatest hits” structure of many biopics. Instead, it aims to be a vibrant, sensorial, and emotional experience that allows the audience to feel the essence of Matogrosso’s energy. The director has stated his aesthetic choices were based on the “erotic pulse” and “desire” that emanate from the artist, creating a film about the drive for freedom. In collaboration with cinematographer Azul Serra, Filho creates an intimate and highly symbolic visual world, characterized by warm, saturated colors, a frequent use of close-ups that reflect the protagonist’s inner conflict, and a recurring poetic concept of “animality”. The film’s sound design is equally immersive, weaving together a soundtrack of 17 songs that are not merely illustrative but serve as markers of the character’s internal transformations. Classics like “Sangue Latino,” “Rosa de Hiroshima,” and “Homem com H” carry significant emotional and narrative weight, reinforcing the artist’s journey of self-construction. The director’s stated goal was to create an experience best appreciated in a cinema, where its visual and auditory richness can be fully absorbed.
At the heart of the film is a widely praised performance by actor Jesuíta Barbosa. Critics have lauded Barbosa for his “perfect characterization and impressive body work,” capturing Matogrosso’s mannerisms and presence with astonishing precision. His portrayal is described not as an interpretation but as a form of channeling, a “possession” or “trance” where he fully incorporates the artist’s spirit. This performance is noted for its rare balance between the exuberance of the stage and a raw, off-stage vulnerability. A crucial artistic choice was made regarding the musical numbers: Barbosa embodies the physicality of the performances, but the singing voice heard is that of Ney Matogrosso himself, using original recordings. This decision creates a powerful duality, avoiding the common pitfall of an actor attempting to imitate a legendary voice. The audience sees the character’s emotional and physical struggle through Barbosa’s performance while hearing the authentic, transcendent power of Matogrosso’s art. This separates the mortal man from his immortal voice, creating a layered experience that is both a compelling human drama and an authentic musical celebration.
The film’s original title is itself an act of profound irony and a key to its central theme. In Brazil, “homem com H” (man with a capital H) is a colloquialism for a man who exhibits traditional, uncompromising virility and courage. The song of the same name uses imagery from Brazilian folklore, like snakes and werewolves, to evoke trials of machismo. By titling a film about an artist who dedicated his life to dismantling that very concept with this phrase, the filmmakers issue a challenge. The title forces the audience to reconcile the term with the fluid, androgynous, queer reality of its subject. It is a re-appropriation of the language of patriarchal norms to celebrate a figure of liberation. As director Esmir Filho has noted, Matogrosso “subverted the choreography of the masculine,” proving it was possible to be a man with any letter, not just the one prescribed by society. The film argues that Matogrosso is the ultimate “Man with a H” precisely because he had the courage to reject all prescribed definitions, demonstrating that true strength lies in authenticity, not conformity. Latin Blood – The Ballad of Ney Matogrosso is more than a biography; it is an aesthetic and political statement, a film that understands that art is an act of disobedience and that no label can contain an artist as singular as Ney Matogrosso.
The film premiered in Brazilian theaters on May 1, 2025. Its world premiere took place during the closing of the 27th Paris Brazilian Film Festival on May 6, 2025. The movie was released for global streaming on Netflix on June 17, 2025.
