Arábia

An incredibly beautiful and contemplative reflection about life, a life - how its unpredictable nature, with the consequences of the cards we're dealt, with the choices we make, takes us to places we could never have imagined or anticipated and the people we meet on that journey. Art, poetry and cinema conjoined, this is a film from Brazil that will remain with you for as long as you care to remember but well worth revisiting if you start to forget, for no other reason than to remind you how you got here and to where you might be going.

I just saw this film yesterday in Lisbon, where it had won the Jury Prize at Indielisboa. I knew nothing about it except for the fact it was Brazilian, and I had lived in Brazil for eight years, so went to see it with my Brazilian partner. We both loved it. It was a extremely sad film overall but had moments of great humour and of great tenderness. Some people have criticized it for not being "political" enough but it was all the more moving for focusing on the personal rather than on slogans. For those of us who know Brazil it comes over as really authentic. The dialogue is spot-on. Recommended for anyone who likes thoughtful cinema.

Very cute, I love these independent films, the day to day, the raw exposed routine, a sincere portrait, a slow pace, but nothing that negatively impacts, a simple script, well executed, nothing grand, but sensitive and poetic, sad , beautiful, full of stories... And the choice of soundtrack, stupendous, makes it hurt, the testimonials are so real and vivid...

After my wife and I finished watching this we tuned into an Italian cooking show. Although my wife and I do not understand Italian it was much better than this film.

I sat down to watch this film at a film festival a while back without any expectations. It started off very low-key and the tone remains so throughout but narratively it builds and builds into an epic mosaic of working class Brazil. One of the most quietly political films I've seen and so much more powerful as a result of that quietness. Charming, funny, angry and tragic, this film has stuck with me for a long time and I don't think I'll forget the experience.