From Beginning to End (2009)
"Do Começo ao Fim" (original title)

Two brothers develop a very close relationship as they are growing up in an idyllic and happy family. When they are young adults their relationship becomes very intimate, romantic, and sexual.

Director:

Aluizio Abranches

Writer:

Aluizio Abranches

Stars:

Júlia Lemmertz, Fábio Assunção, Jean Pierre Noher

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Júlia Lemmertz	...	Julieta
Fábio Assunção	...	Alexandre
Jean Pierre Noher	...	Pedro
Louise Cardoso	...	Rosa
Lucas Cotrin	...	Francisco as Child (as Lucas Cotrim)
Gabriel Kaufmann	...	Thomás as Child
Rafael Cardoso	...	Thomás
João Gabriel Vasconcellos	...	Francisco
Mausi Martínez
Fernanda Félix	...	Bianca (as Fernanda Felix)
Eduardo Coutinho	...	Fabio
Aloysio de Abreu	...	(as Aloisio de Abreu)
Diego Veiga	...	(as Diogo Veiga)
Bruno Dubeaux
Flávia Milioni

Storyline

Two brothers develop a very close relationship as they are growing up in an idyllic and happy family. When they are young adults their relationship becomes very intimate, romantic, and sexual.

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Plot Keywords:

half brother | father son relationship | separation anxiety | gay brother | argentine tango | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [br] Optimale [fr]

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese Spanish English

Release Date:

27 November 2009 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

From Beginning to End

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pequena Central de Produções, Lama Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Playing in only 9 theaters on its opening weekend (compared with 550 of them showing 2012), the film finished in sixth place.

User Reviews

Brave and Beautiful

The filmmaker starts off with an intriguing premise. How much would love flourish if we lived in a world uncomplicated by belief systems that thrive on shame and conformity? In my eyes, the filmmaker is a dreamer. Not a realist. And it was refreshing and fascinating to watch as the story unfolded. It was profound.

The story begins with a boy at the age of six who is escorted by a nurse to see his newborn brother. Immediately, the filmmaker is setting up the rules of his idyllic world. And the rules are consistent throughout. The father is nowhere to be seen. In fact, there are no adults other than an impartial nurse who leads the boy to the person who will ultimately be the love of his life.

The six year-old brother looks into his baby brother's eyes through the viewing window and a profound connection is formed. The filmmaker makes his first point. Could this mysterious thing we call love start even before birth? In most of the best love films that I've seen, and I've seen plenty, when two lovebirds meet the love of their life they have that experience of, haven't we met before? Or, I feel like I've known you all my life.

I won't go into the whole story but I was fascinated by the filmmaker's decision to leave as much conflict out of the picture as possible. He showed us hints of potential conflicts but wisely didn't emphasize them. It was a brave choice. Abranches' vision would prefer to keep the boy's perpetually in the womb of their mother. Which is another important theme throughout the story.

Abranches give us a vision of his Garden of Eden before the fall and the Great Conflict. Before Adam hid himself in the bushes when God walked the grounds and he asked Adam, why are you hiding? I'm naked. And God became angry, who told you thou wast naked? What kind of world would that be like? I can only imagine but I caught a glimpse of it up there on the big silver screen. I highly recommend From Beginning to End.