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The House of Sand

Play trailer Poster for The House of Sand R 2005 1h 55m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 69 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
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.
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The House of Sand

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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Michael Booth Denver Post 09/22/2006
3/4
It is a wondrous place, almost of another planet, and more than compensation for the effort to get there. Go to Full Review Ann Hornaday Washington Post 09/15/2006
Visually dazzling, epic in its sweep and deeply romantic in its sensibility, The House of Sand is one of those films whose images and ideas linger long after the lights come on, having been burned into the viewer's consciousness. Go to Full Review Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press 09/15/2006
2/4
It ends up like an impressionist painting without a subject, one we stare at longingly, waiting for its purpose to emerge. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 08/30/2009
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 Go to Full Review Film Threat 04/21/2007
4/5
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 12/21/2006
C+
It all seems as bleak and empty as the desert. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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07/10/2017 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. See more 10/02/2015 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. See more 12/16/2014 well crafted and photographed chick flick See more 12/23/2013 Splendid photography. Remarkable acting. A tour de force. See more 06/18/2013 A beautiful work to look at, lost amidst the cinematic desert, which is a combination between Teshigahara and Tarkovsky, with less cinematic and metaphysical impact but with an hypnotic world that has the power to capture your body and make you stay permanently. Open you eyes and be cautious, because generations pass in the blink of an eye and the hearts of these "women in the dunes" are reflected by the same actresses with alternating roles. It deserves much more praise. 75/100 See more 05/21/2013 An amazing directorial achievment for a beautiful story made with passion and true vision. Excellent performances. See more Read all reviews
The House of Sand

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Cast & Crew

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Andrucha Waddington

Director

Fernanda Montenegro

Dona Maria

Fernanda Torres

Áurea

Ruy Guerra

Vasco de Sá

Seu Jorge

Massu (1910-1919)

Luiz Melodia

Massu (1942)

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The House of Sand

A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." A scene from the film "The House of Sand." View more photos

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
Producer
Leonardo Monteiro de Barros, Pedro Buarque, Andrucha Waddington, Pedro Guimaraes
Screenwriter
Elena Soarez, Luiz Carlos Barreto, Andrucha Waddington
Production Co
Conspiração Filmes
Rating
R (Some Graphic Sexuality)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Brazilian Portuguese
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