House of Sand (2005)
"Casa de Areia" (original title)

A woman is taken along with her mother in 1910 to a far-away desert by her husband, and after his passing, is forced to spend the next 59 years of her life hopelessly trying to escape it.

Director:

Andrucha Waddington

Writers:

Elena Soarez (screenplay), Luiz Carlos Barreto (story),

Stars:

Fernanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Ruy Guerra

10 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Fernanda Montenegro	...	Dona Maria / Áurea / Maria
Fernanda Torres	...	Áurea / Maria
Ruy Guerra	...	Vasco de Sá
Seu Jorge	...	Massu - 1910-1919
Stênio Garcia	...	Luiz - 1942
Luiz Melodia	...	Massu - 1942
Enrique Díaz	...	Luiz - 1919
Emiliano Queiroz	...	Chico do Sal
João Acaiabe	...	Pai de Massu
Camilla Facundes	...	Maria - 1919
Haroldo Costa	...	Capataz
Jorge Mautner	...	Cientista
Nelson Jacobina	...	Cientista
Alex Sander	...	Jão
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zumbi Bahia	...	Carregador Vasco #1

Storyline

Áurea arrives at a town in the dunes of State of Maranhão, Brazil, in 1910, having for female company only her mother Maria. She is pregnant and wants a way out of that arid place. But leaving is difficult and, somehow, she still hopes to find happiness there. The film follows these two lives for three generations, including Áurea's daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

1910s | dunes | goat | desert | brazil | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some graphic sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [br] Sony Pictures Classics [us]

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Release Date:

13 May 2005 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

The House of Sand

Filming Locations:

Lençóis Maranhenses, Maranhão, Brazil

Box Office

Budget:

BRL 8,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia TriStar Filmes do Brasil, Conspiração Filmes, Globo Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was filmed entirely in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, an ecosystem of sand dunes in Maranhão State (northeastern Brazil).

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Goofs

The movie takes pains to make reference to real events. However, the location marker erected for the scientific party at the total solar eclipse shows the wrong date. It should be 29.05.1919.

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Soundtracks

"Prelude Opus 28, nº 15"
by Frédéric Chopin

User Reviews

Perspective Is Everything!

Maybe it's a male/female perspective (the mother daughter relationships were so spot on), or an American/Brazilian difference in perspective, but I can not understand all the negative comments on the board regarding this movie! To me it is a haunting little masterpiece I will not soon forget. The standout acting, the stunning yet eerie landscape setting, the subtle plot, and the music are reminiscent of Kurosawa's deeply minimal but hugely philosophical dramas. Add to that, a brilliantly BIG viewfinder of a camera and a really superb space science sub plot this movie is almost epic. I was surprised by it's simplicity and astonished by it's depth. The director may be young but his soul is ever so old.