Central do Brasil (1998)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Marcos Bernstein (writer)
João Emanuel Carneiro (writer)

Release Date:

20 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Letter | Boy | Teacher | Brazil | Human Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 29 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Fernanda Montenegro	...	Dora
Marília Pêra	...	Irene
Vinícius de Oliveira	...	Josué
Soia Lira	...	Ana
Othon Bastos	...	Cesar
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

Also Known As:

Central Station (UK) (USA)
Central do Brasil (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

113 min | Canada:115 min | Finland:110 min | Netherlands:108 min | Germany:108 min

Country:

Brazil | France

Language:

Portuguese | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Central do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Dora's new television, bought with the money she earned selling Josué, presents a popular Brazilian TV program called "Topa Tudo Por Dinheiro," which means "Agree to Everything For Money."

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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Ruínas da Babilônia

The Great Fernanda

I thought this movie was terrific, a little slow in parts, but I cared about the characters and was interested in their journey. I also liked the fact that the main character was not portrayed as a saint - Dora is a real person, flaws and all. Montenegro was robbed at the Oscars and so was the movie.