Central Station (1998)
"Central do Brasil" (original title)

An emotive journey of a former school teacher, who write letters for illiterate people, and a young boy, whose mother has just died, in search for the father he never knew.

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Marcos Bernstein, João Emanuel Carneiro,

Stars:

Fernanda Montenegro, Marília Pêra, Vinícius de Oliveira

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 34 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fernanda Montenegro	...	Isadora
Marília Pêra	...	Irene
Vinícius de Oliveira	...	Josué
Soia Lira	...	Ana
Othon Bastos	...	Cezar
Otávio Augusto	...	Pedrão
Stela Freitas	...	Yolanda
Matheus Nachtergaele	...	Isaías
Caio Junqueira	...	Moisés
Socorro Nobre	...	Dora's Client
Manoel Gomes	...	Dora's Client
Roberto Andrade	...	Dora's Client
Sheyla Kenia	...	Dora's Client
Malcon Soares	...	Dora's Client
Maria Fernandes	...	Dora's Client

Storyline

Dora, a dour old woman, works at a Rio de Janeiro central station, writing letters for customers and mailing them. She hates customers and calls them 'trash'. Josue is a 9-year-old boy who never met his father. His mother is sending letters to his father through Dora. When she dies in a car accident, Dora takes Josue and takes a trip with him to find his father.

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Plot Keywords:

letter | teacher | brazil | wine | on the road | 

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Taglines:

He was looking for the father he never knew. She was looking for a second chance.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

Brazil France

Language:

Portuguese German

Release Date:

20 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Central Station

Filming Locations:

Arcoverde, State of Pernambuco, Brazil

Box Office

Budget:

$2,900,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£84,170 (UK) (12 March 1999)

Gross:

$5,595,428 (USA) (9 July 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Audiovisual Development Bureau, Ministerio da Cultura, BEI Comunicações, Bahiatursa

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 90691.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dora's Client: [dictating a letter] My darling, My heart belongs to you. No matter what you've done, I still love you. I love you. While you're locked in there all those years, I'll be locked up out here, waiting for you.

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Connections

Referenced in The Other Side of the Street (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Ruínas da Babilônia"
Written by Fauzi Beydoun
Performed by Tribo de Jah

User Reviews

Sad and beautiful

'Central do Brasil' is basically a road movie about a boy Josué (Vinícius de Oliveira) who just lost his mother searching for his father. He does this with the help of Dora (Fernanda Montenegro). She writes letters for illiterate people in the central station of Rio de Janeiro. Dora has a secret, she doesn't mail the letters. She knows Josué because he and his mother used to write letters to Josué's father and when his mother dies she takes care of him, although she has other intentions at first.

The movie is mainly about the relationship between the boy and the woman. Of course they meet people on the road. Especially the part where they travel with a truck driver is very good. We also see a little of the life in Brazil. This is a movie with a good story that is very well directed. The acting is terrific. Montenegra as the older woman and especially De Oliveira as the boy is very good.