A poignant story in an extraordinary setting, shown in a poetic, serene way.
Gorgeous cinematography, shot in a clair-obscur style which highlights certain distinct colours from the darkness (at times reminiscent of old masters's paintings, such as the work of Caravaggio or Rembrandt).
Strong, pure acting by the lead actors - Vitalina Varela and Ventura.
Pedro Costa tells his story slowly, but intelligently. Instead of presenting the plot outline on a silver platter, he challenges the viewer to discover this for himself. Costa's style of story-telling reminds me of Bela Tarr's films; both prefer the visual language over the spoken one.
This film is not very accessible, and requires full attention. But it will prove to be very rewarding in the end.
Gorgeous cinematography, shot in a clair-obscur style which highlights certain distinct colours from the darkness (at times reminiscent of old masters's paintings, such as the work of Caravaggio or Rembrandt).
Strong, pure acting by the lead actors - Vitalina Varela and Ventura.
Pedro Costa tells his story slowly, but intelligently. Instead of presenting the plot outline on a silver platter, he challenges the viewer to discover this for himself. Costa's style of story-telling reminds me of Bela Tarr's films; both prefer the visual language over the spoken one.
This film is not very accessible, and requires full attention. But it will prove to be very rewarding in the end.