our special correspondent in Cannes
A brazilian film of 2h20, presented, moreover, as a melodrama, was a dream person before its projection. But some mornings, a single coffee is not enough to untangle the neurons essential for the correct path. A routing error has thus led to The invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão, of the Brazilian Karim Aïnouz, that we had not made our plan of the day. A chance which proved that our suspicion had no reason to be. Not only is the movie was pleasant to see but he has received the prix un certain regard.
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The invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão was among the 18 feature films competing in this parallel section. «The jury is witness to the great pleasure that he has had to immerse themselves in the diversity of this selection, diversity in the subjects covered, as to the approach to film and the representation of characters. It was very exciting to see side-by-side with filmmakers who have mastered so well their language and others who follow this same path,» declared the president, Nadine Labaki and his four colleagues in delivering the rewards. The performance award went to Chiara Mastroianni for his role in Room 212, of Christophe Honoré, and the price of the setting to Kantemir Balagov for A big girl .
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Conducted by Karim Aïnouz, The invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão is presented as a family chronicle that unfolds in the Brazil of the 1950s over a lifetime. Euridice dream of a life of a pianist, his sister Guida in the great love. But at this time, the women don’t do what they want. Also related to that of the binoculars, the young girls of 18 and 20 years are lost sight of when Guida share for Europe in the arms of a Greek sailor. The parents of Euridice find him the husband he should, a baby is born quickly, and the desires of the conservatory will fly away. Guida does not take long to come back alone and pregnant, her lover has already been infected by another beautiful in the next port. Chased by his father, which makes him believe that Euridice has also integrated a piano school in Vienna, she finds refuge with other girls mothers, working at the shipyard and used his charms when the need for money becomes vital. Up to the end of their lives, the two sisters go to fetch it. Euridice hires a detective, whose talents do not produce any result. Guida writes him letters that her sister never receives.
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Karim Aïnouz, author of Madame Sata selected for un certain regard in 2002, offers a reflection on the weight of traditions, male authority, and the difficult emancipation of women. Its images are grainy with washed-out colours amplify the swing in a different era, and his way of filming without makeup, the flesh flabby and male desires, uncontrolled do not leave a lot of hope. The story is certainly no surprise, a few leaps in time are too brutal, but until the end the determination of both women to stay proud, and hope and get out of holds us in the awakening.
