Barren Lives (1963)★ 8.1/10
- Drama
Directed by: Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Written by: Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Graciliano Ramos
A miserable family in the Northeast of Brazil (Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; their 2 children and a dog called Baleia) wander about the barren land searching for a better place to live, with food and work. But the drought and misery destroy their hopes.
Articles about this
Cast & crew
See all ›
Awards · 0 wins, 1 nominations
See all ›- NomineeCannes Film Festival 1964Palme d'Or · Palme d'Or
Reviews
B
Bradley_PerezAugust 23, 2025
Bradley_PerezAugust 23, 2025A cornerstone of Brazil’s first phase of Cinema Novo and one of Nelson Pereira dos Santos’ most significant works, it follows a family seeking survival only to face exploitation, oppression, and deceit. It vividly captures the struggles of the rural poor and the complexity of human nature.
A
Angelita_KempAugust 20, 2025
Angelita_KempAugust 20, 2025Like Italian neorealist classics such as "The Bicycle Thieves," this film focuses on the marginalized, exposing social injustice while celebrating the resilience and dignity of laborers, accentuated by its opening and closing horn blasts.
L
Lee RosalJuly 3, 2025
Lee RosalJuly 3, 2025Inferno. Palavra esquisita. O que é o inferno?
