Muscle

A group of men work hard to build muscle. Lifting weights in every possible direction, we see them up close as they sweat, moan and grunt. Their bodies look not shaped but sculpted. Is it all about the look? Slowly, voices start to tell stories of what it means to be big: it is to be safe, to be able to walk unbothered in the outskirts of Lagos, to be untouchable. In a carefully crafted choreography of bodies, camera and sound, MUSCLE delves into the many political and aesthetic layers of bodybuilding in this city. (Lucía Salas)

This film will be shown as part of the screening EXPERIENCES BEYOND.