The central scene of Affonso Uchôa’s film unfolds in the warm light of a campfire lit in a field, next to a road on which cars pass from time to time, with the contour of a factory in the background. In front of the fire sit two youths of similar ages. While between them forms a predictable connection, what is indeed unexpected is the nature of the experience they share: the brutality of Brazilian police and the precarious life the two are forced to lead for fear of their reprisal. “Seven Years in May” focuses on Rafaele. In a strenuously detached tone, the protagonist describes the torment he has been put through ever since the police decided to extort money from him based on rumours that he might be in possession of drugs. The documentary juxtaposes this raw confession with stylised scenes, where the confrontation the two have with the police manifests as an absurd game that they could, in fact, put an end to. (by Liri Alienor Chapelan)