A renowned performer of rare versatility, the prolific Selton Mello is an extraordinary force both in front of and behind the camera. Beginning in the 1980s, his eclectic output lays bare the hidden impulses of human nature, and has evolved in tandem with Brazilian cinema itself. Starring in Luiz Fernando Carvalho’s provocative To the Left of the Father (2001) as a young man gripped by incestuous desire for his own sister, Mello stuns with his disquieting evocation of a languishing, tortured soul. His exploration of destructive masculinity continues with Heitor Dhalia’s dark comedy Drained (2006), in which Mello’s chauvinistic and ruthless pawnbroker gets a bitter taste of his own medicine. Crafted by Júlio Bressane, a pioneering figure in the “Cinema Marginal” movement, The Herb of the Rat (2008) exemplifies Mello’s adventurous spirit as an actor. Eschewing conventional storytelling, this avant-garde study of an unusual relationship dreams up an alternative kind of intimacy that is at once macabre and erotic. His honeyed timbre is just as iconic as his soulful eyes: he has lent his famous voice to films such as Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury (2013), as well as MUBI’s “We Are What We Watch” video campaign!

Echoing his acting projects, Mello’s forays into filmmaking also effortlessly oscillate between the mainstream and the arthouse. Shot on 16mm, his directorial debut December (2008) marks the return of legendary actress Darlene Gloria. Drawing a profound link between classic and contemporary Brazilian films, December masterfully utilizes handheld cinematography to foreground the tension that underlies a festive family reunion. On triple duty as the lead actor, director, and scriptwriter, Mello reinvents the road film with The Clown (2011), a box-office hit that doubles as a rumination on the loneliness of the actor’s life. In anticipation of his 40th career anniversary in 2024, this expansive collection charts the astonishing journey of a cinematic virtuoso.