Portugese with English subtitles
House of Sand brings together two of Brazil's most celebrated actresses. Oscar-nominee Fernanda Montenegro and Palme d'Or winner Fernanda Torres shine in this unique film about the lives of three generations of women. Aurea (Fernanda Torres) is brought to the northern Brazilian town of Maranhão by her insane husband Vasco (Ruy Guerra), who suffers from delusions. A calamitous turn of events leaves Aurea, now pregnant, and her mother Maria (Fernanda Montenegro, Central Station) alone in the desert in a house full of sand. They eventually find friendship and food through Massu (Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic), who lives at a quilombo (a self-sustaining society originally formed by escaped slaves). Aurea wrestles with her unhappy fate but slowly grows accustomed to the new rhythm of life in the dunes. Years pass and we find Aurea (now played by Montenegro) at peace in the desert, while her wild and sexually promiscuous daughter Maria (played by Torres) lacks social propriety and longs to see the outside world. The passage of time, the significance of world events and the strength of Nature - manifested through sweeping shots of the horizon, the sound of the wind skimming the sand and the soft, assured pacing of Waddington's direction - are beautifully captured in this powerful film, and brought to life by the stunning cinematography of Ricardo Della Rosa. (TIFF)
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