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Reaching for the Moon

Play trailer Poster for Reaching for the Moon Released Nov 8, 2013 1h 58m Biography Drama Romance LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) has a love affair with architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Gloria Pires).
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Reaching for the Moon

Reaching for the Moon

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Critics Consensus

Reaching for the Moon's uptight sensibilities sometimes play more pretentious than poetic, but solid performances and sumptuous photography leave a lingering longing for love in the tropics.

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Critics Reviews

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Sarah Hansen Autostraddle An amazing display of how someone's support of your work can affect all aspects of what you're producing in the world. Jun 14, 2021 Full Review Guy Lodge Variety Attention is retained by the commendably unhistrionic leads, who convincingly etch the pair's enduring devotion even when passions run dry. Mar 31, 2015 Full Review Deborah Young The Hollywood Reporter The life of American Poet Laureate Elizabeth Bishop furnishes surprisingly vivid emotional material in Reaching for the Moon. Mar 31, 2015 Full Review Michelle Faye Curve A truly wonderful cinematic achievement. May 24, 2022 Full Review Bernard Boo Way Too Indie Disappointingly, Barreto's film is sorely lacking in artfulness, even being so corny as to utilize voiceover recitations as a device to make the tired on-screen happenings seem more meaningful than they actually are. Rated: 5/10 Apr 3, 2019 Full Review Lucy Popescu CineVue Reaching for the Moon's pace is occasionally leaden, but for the most part this is an engaging portrait of two iconic women and a pivotal moment in Brazil's history. Rated: 3/5 Mar 20, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Daniel G Really well-done biopic - though there were so many disclaimers at the end, that it wasn't clear how much poetic justice was done to the life of Elizabeth Bishop, US poet who falls in love with a headstrong and wordly Brazilian architect. Realistic presentation of Brazil in the 1950s-1960s and, in that way, also a valuable history lesson. Rare Flowers in Portuguese, Reaching for the Moon in English. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/07/22 Full Review Audience Member LOVED IT.. so romantic and lyrically beautiful- and from a true story! sexy love story... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member a feast 4 tha eyes, lavish made me wanna visit Rio sometime soon. this film is a period pic, historical film bio-pic and lesbian love story all rolled up in2 one. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member I thought this was excellent: a true tale of love, although no doubt romanticised for the sake of art. A three-way lesbian relationship that appears to have worked for some considerable time, before things changed, as they have a way of doing, and the strongest character weakened. Some lovely photography, good acting, and believable relationships. It left us thinking about it the next day, curious to know more about these people, surely a good sign. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Well-done movie about unconventional relationships and power struggles, set in coup-time Brazil. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A beautiful film that shares the intimate love story of two very talented, sensitive women. Worthy of keeping in any personal, film collection. I've seen it twice and could easily see it again. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Reaching for the Moon

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Cast & Crew

Behind the Candelabra 94% 71% Behind the Candelabra Watchlist Freeheld 49% 54% Freeheld Watchlist TRAILER for Freeheld Vita & Virginia 41% 57% Vita & Virginia Watchlist TRAILER for Vita & Virginia Hemingway & Gellhorn 49% 40% Hemingway & Gellhorn Watchlist From Afar 78% 54% From Afar Watchlist TRAILER for From Afar Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) has a love affair with architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Gloria Pires).
Director
Bruno Barreto
Producer
Lucy Barreto, Paula Barreto
Screenwriter
Matthew Chapman, Julie Sayres
Distributor
Wolfe Releasing
Production Co
LC Barreto
Genre
Biography, Drama, Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 8, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 58m
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