Vidas secas (film)

Vidas secas (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvidɐs ˈsekɐs], meaning "Dry Lives"; Pre-Reform spelling: Vidas sêcas) is a 1963 Brazilian drama film directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos, and based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Graciliano Ramos. It tells the story of a poverty-stricken family in the dry Brazilian northeast.

Vidas Secas
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNelson Pereira dos Santos
Written byNelson Pereira dos Santos
Produced byLuiz Carlos Barreto
Herbert Richers
Danilo Trelles
StarringÁtila Iório
Maria Ribeiro
CinematographyLuiz Carlos Barreto
Edited byRafael Justo Valverde
Music byLeonardo Alencar
Production
company
Herbert Richers
Distributed byHerbert Richers
Sinofilmes
Release date
22 August 1963 (Brazil)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryBrazil
LanguagePortuguese

The film stars Átila Iório, Orlando Macedo, Maria Ribeiro and Joffre Soares. It is one of the key films in the Brazilian Cinema Novo movement. It was entered into the 1964 Cannes Film Festival.[1]

Synopsis

1940s. A poor peasant family from the Northeast flees drought and famine. The family is made up of a mother, father and two young sons. After a tiring walk through the sertão, they reach the dilapidated house of Tomas, a friend who has gone to try his luck in other regions. The walk to get to Tomas was very long. The dog makes sure that the kid does not get left behind and at one point the father has to carry the oldest child because he is exhausted. Fabiano, the head of the family, is hired as a cowherd with a fazenda owner who employs Tomas. Life is not easy and Fabiano is indebted to his boss. One Sunday, before a folklore festival, Fabiano is provoked to play cards by a police officer. Although he wins, he gets beaten and dragged to prison. Released, he goes back to work. The mother is mad that he spent all of their money on a drink and on gambling. She really wants to be able to sleep in a leather bed. The drought is raging again so the couple and their children prepare to set out again, desperately looking for fertile land. The father goes out into a field to kill the dog before they leave. The end of the film is a long take of them walking into the barren desert.

The bright sun is a common theme throughout the film. On their journeys to look for a better future, the sun makes it very hard to continue walking. The sun also dries up all of the water and water represents life. Without it everything dies.

Cast
  • Átila Iório - Fabiano
  • Maria Ribeiro - Sinhá Vitória (Mother)
  • Orlando Macedo - Soldado Amarelo (Soldier)
  • Joffre Soares - Fazendeiro (Farmer)
  • Gilvan Lima - Boy (as Gilvan)
  • Genivaldo Lima - Boy (as Genivaldo)

References
  1. "Festival de Cannes: Barren Lives". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-03-01.


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