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      The House of Sand

      R 2005 1h 55m Drama List
      79% 70 Reviews Tomatometer 79% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score After their patriarch (Ruy Guerra) dies in an accident, a pregnant woman (Fernanda Torres) and her mother (Fernanda Montenegro) must fend for themselves in a harsh desert in northern Brazil. Befriended by a local man (Luiz Melodia), they establish a modest home, and the younger one, Aurea, dreams of escape, but the older one, Dona Maria, learns to accept her fate. Read More Read Less
      The House of Sand

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      Critics Consensus

      Beautifully filmed with wonderful performances, this Brazilian tale deftly explores the passage of time and prolonged isolation in several decades of a mother and daughter relationship.

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      Critics Reviews

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      Roger Moore Orlando Sentinel Evocative as it can be, House of Sand doesn't have enough story or incident to justify the investment in time. Rated: 3/5 Sep 29, 2006 Full Review Robert Denerstein Denver Rocky Mountain News Cinematographer Ricardo della Rosa ... has created images of rare beauty in the midst of terrain so spectacularly strange that it sometimes seems to speak a language all its own. Rated: B Sep 22, 2006 Full Review Michael Booth Denver Post It is a wondrous place, almost of another planet, and more than compensation for the effort to get there. Rated: 3/4 Sep 22, 2006 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Disregards the political shifts of Brazil's history by isolating the sprawling narrative from the rest of the nation, so that nothing can distract the director from his finicky composing Aug 30, 2009 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 4/5 Apr 21, 2007 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews It all seems as bleak and empty as the desert. Rated: C+ Dec 21, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      StephenPaul C The greatest 01 hour: and 55 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Featuring a cast from Brazil that speaks Portuguese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Torres and Montenegro lead with tour de force performances an epic tale over three generations of women through time and sand. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member House of Sand is set in the barren, sandy wasteland of northern Brazil, which director Andrucha Waddington lovingly and beautifully photographs. The film spans three generations through the eyes of a handful of people, one actress playing three generations of characters, another two. It's as if there were only a handful of people in this world, and the plot and characters' choices are equally desolate. The protagonist endlessly tries to escape the place. But in the end, to this film there is nothing more than sand. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member The House of Sand features excellent acting and good storytelling. While there may be some problems with the plot itself, it was believable that it was happening to the characters on-screen. I rate it up mainly on account of the fact that I cared about what happened and was rooting for the character played by lead actress to make it out. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member well crafted and photographed chick flick Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Splendid photography. Remarkable acting. A tour de force. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The House of Sand

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis After their patriarch (Ruy Guerra) dies in an accident, a pregnant woman (Fernanda Torres) and her mother (Fernanda Montenegro) must fend for themselves in a harsh desert in northern Brazil. Befriended by a local man (Luiz Melodia), they establish a modest home, and the younger one, Aurea, dreams of escape, but the older one, Dona Maria, learns to accept her fate.
      Director
      Andrucha Waddington
      Screenwriter
      Elena Soarez, Luiz Carlos Barreto, Andrucha Waddington
      Production Co
      Conspiração Filmes
      Rating
      R (Some Graphic Sexuality)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      Portuguese (Brazil)
      Rerelease Date (Theaters)
      Aug 11, 2006
      Release Date (DVD)
      Dec 12, 2006
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $529.3K
      Runtime
      1h 55m
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Digital