Abril Despedaçado (2001)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Karim Ainouz (writer)
Ismail Kadare (novel)

Release Date:

28 February 2002 (Malaysia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

When ordered by his father to avenge the death of his older brother, a young man questions the tradition of violence between two rival families.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Tradition | Violence | 1910s | Circus

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

José Dumont	...	Father
Rodrigo Santoro	...	Tonho
Rita Assemany	...	Mother
Ravi Ramos Lacerda	...	Pacu
Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos	...	Salustiano
Flavia Marco Antonio	...	Clara
Everaldo Pontes	...	Old Blind Man (as Everaldo De Souza Pontes)
Caio Junqueira	...	Inácio
Mariana Loureiro	...	Widow
Servilio de Holanda	...	Isaías
Wagner Moura	...	Matheus
Othon Bastos	...	Mr. Lourenço
Gero Camilo	...	Reginaldo
Vinícius de Oliveira	...	Ferreira Family Member
Soia Lira	...	Ferreira Family Member

Also Known As:

Avril brisé (France)
Behind the Sun (International: English title)
Shredded April (literal English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Brazil | France | Switzerland

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:LH

Filming Locations:

Bom Sossego, Bahia, Brazil

Company:

Bac Films

Movie Connections:

References Os Trapalhões e o Mágico de Oróz (1984)

Simply the most beautiful movie I have ever seen.

After reading some of the comments from American film fans on IMDb I must admit I was a little wary about going to see this movie. I needn't have worried though. To put it simply, this is the most beautifully shot film I think I have ever seen.

Walter Salles seems to bring so much colour and life out of the screen and into the theatre it was just an awesome experience. That scene with Clara on the rope, the scene with Tonio on the beach and the chase sequence at the beginning were just stunningly shot.

It was strange that I was the only person in the cinema to see this movie, and at the same time it's a pity that people would rather suffer the likes of Kate and Leopold or Collateral Damage (!) than a masterpeice like this. No matter how "clunky" you think some of the symbolism is, it was refreshing to see something as moving.

I read a review of this by Anthony Minghella, and he said, "It's as close to poetry as cinema gets", and I couldn't agree more.

Top marks 10 out of 10. And no mistake!