Através da Janela

Sometimes one can discover hidden gems at a film festival. Sometimes you see a film which could have been made anywhere, shown anywhere. I am not sure about this one. The story is about a devoted middle aged mother who along the way starts to suspect her son is involved in criminal activities as he deviates from their daily routine. It is intriguing to see how this overbearing, extremely loving (almost incestuous) mother opens her eyes to the awful truth as her son seems to drift further and further away from her, bringing home strange new friends, receiving mysterious phone calls. And then the story ends, it dies like a candle put in a draft. What seemed to be at the beginning a psychological drama changes - briefly - into a thriller, but doesn't quite live up to either genre. The acting though is superb. And to foreign ears like mine, the Brazilian Portugese sounds absolutely enticing. You might enjoy this film, even if I haven't. Or have I?

Selma (Laura Cardoso) is a retired middle-aged nurse and very devoted and loving mother. Although being twenty-four years old, she treats her unique son Raimundo (Fransérgio Araújo) like a boy. Raimundo is unemployed, and Selma in her routine life, everyday prepares his breakfast and meals, buys the newspaper, selects the job advertisements for him and launders his clothes. They have a very loving relationship, but Raimundo changes his behavior and Selma starts to suspect her son has a girlfriend. Then, Raimundo starts receiving phone calls from a mysterious woman, culminating with the visit of strange new friends, including a very injured one, involved in a car accident. Later Selma will deduct the truth behind this mystery. This inconclusive theatrical movie is supported by the outstanding performance of Laura Cardoso. The slow story is very tense, and when the screenplay reaches the plot point, the movie ends. I do not remember another film with such an open end. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): ` Através da Janela' (`Through the Window')