Olga

Everybody has seen many American and European films about the World War II and the terrors Hitler made to the Jews. Most of these movies are great, and many of them are really big success in the Oscar ceremony. Some other countries out of this Europe-USA pool have also made good things about the theme and Brazil has finally made its try, a really good job. "Olga" is based on "Olga Benário", a book written by Fernando Morais about the German woman who fought for Communism in Russia and in Brazil, where she lived with Luis Carlos Prestes, a man who tried to take Communism to power through a revolution.

The film shows basically their love story and the hard life Olga had in prison, but the historical content is not left out. Actually, it's an important fact in "Olga".

The actors and actresses are not known outside Brazil, but it's not a reason to forget this movie. I really think people all over the world should take some time to watch it. The direction is well done and production is huge.

My rate 9/10

I've just caught the film, and I must say, it is a powerful, powerful depiction - epic, really, of the life of Olga Benario. Camila Morgado is a force to be reckoned with. She left no stone unturned in bringing Olga (back) to life in this film. Her presence in the film is awe-inspiring. Such an amazing actress. Look for the subtle, uncomfortable humor that she depicts in her first night aboard ship with Prestes. It is great acting. And the strength of her gaze in a number of scenes will lock you in your seat. Just an amazing turn by this young actress. I was fortunate enough to see the film with her in attendance, and her comments afterward highlighted an articulate, well-read and focused young woman who is clearly quite serious about her craft and her country. What a breath of fresh air THAT is today!!

The story itself is solid, the cinematography outstanding.

This film will stay with you.

I am aware of the fact that Brazilian movies are not famous as the American ones,but I agree that Olga should be nominated for an Oscar, and deserves to be watched. Olga was made with a great production by the Brazilians standards, and is a beautiful and sensitive movie, showing the history of this brave Jewish and communist woman called Olga Benario.

Camila Morgado and Fernanda Montenegro are two of my favorite Brazilian actresses,and are great too in their roles. (Camila as Olga deserves applause).

The movie shows Olga's path, since she was a rich teenager to her final moments, in a concentration camp.

Olga was one of the most anticipated movies in history of Brazilian cinema. The images of the production was showed drop-to-drop, to rise the hype that surrounded this movie. The trailer was fantastic. With a brilliant cinematography and a beauty melancholic soundtrack. But now, when the movie finally arises in theaters... What can i tell you? Well, this movie REALLY couldn't fulfill the expectations that have created.

There are very reasons that makes Olga an ordinary movie. And the mainly is the direction. Jayme Monjardim (a traditional TV director in Brasil) had their debutance in cinema with this work. The problem is that Olga, has sequences and visual very near of the TV works of the director. The movie doesn't have rhythm and feeling of a real movie. It looks like a TV series showed on a great screen. The movie is very boring, the edition is poor and don't give the rhythm that a movie like that needs. The plot is very dramatic but sound like a journal romance. At least the cinematography is great in the most part of the movie and the art-direction makes a great job to create a cold Germany in the very tropical Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

If you really don't know the Brazilian cinema, this is not a movie that represents the talented Brazilian directors. A movie without rhythm, descent plot and straight direction, but with a great visual. Go see "City of God", "Redentor" and "The man who copied" if want to know why Brazilian cinema is rockin around the world.

6/10

I saw "Olga" at a local Jewish film festival. It is a confusing film containing several mistakes. It was never made clear that Olga was a Munich-born German (Olga Gutmann Benario) whose father was of Jewish decent, but her mother was not. Olga moved from Munich to Berlin in 1925 at age 17. The biggest mistake of the filmmaker was to report that she was killed in Theresienstadt, she died in Bernburg. That the movie is in Portuguese doesn't help either. The story is too long-winded and some scenes are moving too slow. I couldn't get emotionally involved in the story and felt detached from Olga's plight even though the director tried but failed to show her tragic life in a way Spielberg would have done it. I had high expectations when I read about this movie, but was pretty disappointed. At least, the acting was good. It would probably better to read about Olga than to see this movie.