Barren Lives (1963)
"Vidas Secas" (original title)

A poor family in the Northeast of Brazil (Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; their 2 children and a bitch called Baleia) wander about the barren land searching for a better ... See full summary »

Director:

Nelson Pereira dos Santos

Writers:

Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Graciliano Ramos (novel)

Stars:

Átila Iório, Maria Ribeiro, Orlando Macedo

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited 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)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Orlando Chagas
Ignacio Costa
Nabor Costa
Oscar de Souza
José Leite
Vanuterio Maia
Manuel Ordonio
Maria Rosa
Antonio Soarez

Storyline

A poor family in the Northeast of Brazil (Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; their 2 children and a bitch called Baleia) wander about the barren land searching for a better place to live, with food and work. But the drought and misery destroy their hopes.

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Plot Keywords:

brazil | countryside | new latin american cinema | poverty | cinema novo | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Release Date:

11 December 1967 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Barren Lives

Company Credits

Production Co:

Luiz Carlos Barreto Produções Cinematográficas, Sino Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Como se Morre no Cinema (2003)

User Reviews

Starkly beautiful

An itinerant family's search for a better life seems to lead nowhere. The husband finds work as a cowhand, the wife wants nothing more than a leather bed to sleep in.

The stark, black and white cinematography with which the sun-bleached, barren landscape was shot underscores the poverty the family is trying to escape. Kudos to the director who was able to coax an admirable performance from the family's dog. It's a totally engaging film w/ effectively subdued performances from the principals. Reminiscent of Italian Neo-Realist cinema, this makes for rewarding viewing, a cure for the summer blockbuster syndrome.