Ras is a construction worker who also sprays graffitis on the walls of east Cali, Colombia. When he steals several cans of paint to finish a mural, he gets fired. He sets off on a journey and befriends Calvin, another graffiti artist who studies art and is having issues since his parents’ divorce.
Drawing praise on its premiere at Locarno, Los Hongos is an impressionistic coming-of-age graffiti film—shot, documentary-like, in gorgeous 35mm, and led by fantastic naturalistic performances. Colombian director Oscar Ruíz Navia’s follow-up to his acclaimed gem Crab Trap.