FiGa Films








Film Info
2007
Country Brazil
Genre Drama
Language Portuguese
Running Time 93 min.
Ratio 1,85
Sound DOLBY SR
Filmed on S16mm
Transferred to 35mm




Alice's House

A film by Chico Teixeira

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AWARDS

Official Selection at 57th Berlin International Film Festival.
Prêmio TVE/ CICAE - Cine en Construcción/San Sebastian 2006.
Best Film – Grand Prix/Le Rigard D’Or-21st Fribourg International Film Festival.
Youth Jury Award - 21st Fribourg International Film Festival.
E-Changer Award - 21st Fribourg International Film Festival.
Best Actress - 2007 Miami International Film Festival.
Special Jury Prize - 2007 Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Best Actress - 2007 Guadalajara International Film Festival.
FIPRESCI Award - 2007 Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Best Actress – 2007 Rio International Film Festival.
Best Actress – 2007 Lisbon Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
Silver Plaque Chico Teixeira - 2007 Chicago Int'l Film Festival.
Best Actress – 2007 Sao Paulo International Film Festival.
Opera Prima, Chico Teixeira, 2007 Havana International Film Festival.
Best Actress Motion Picture 2007 - Sao Paulo Art Critics Association.


SYNOPSIS

Alice is in her forties and works as a manicurist in a beauty salon. She lives in a neighborhood in the outskirts of Sao Paulo, sharing an apartment with her mother, Dona Jacira, her husband, Lindomar, a taxi-driver, and their three sons, Lucas, Edinho, and Junior.

At home, Dona Jacira takes care of the household chores. She washes, irons, cooks, and cleans, while listening to her favorite radio show. Carlinhos Abranches, the show’s host, seems to alleviate the old woman’s loneliness, who realizes she is gradually going blind.

Lucas, the eldest son and a conservative young man by nature, is in the army and has ambitions of becoming a lieutenant, so that he can imitate the authoritarian behavior of his superiors. In his free time, he secretly makes extra money from the old men with whom he spends time together.

Edinho, the middle son, is Dona Jacira´s most affectionate grandson, but even she is not spared from his need and compulsion for a new pair of sneakers or a Walkman.

Junior, the youngest son, is the most fragile and closest to Alice. Lucas is his role model and like all adolescents, he is tormented by affection and his own sexual awakenings

After 20 years of marriage, neither Lindomar nor Alice expects much in the way of reconciliation. The taxi-driver saves his sexual impulses for the affairs that he maintains, with a preference for teenage girls. Alice pretends not to acknowledge her husband's infidelities.

Enter Nilson, Alice’s old boyfriend from adolescence. Alice sees in him the possibility to realize her romantic dreams, changing the course of her love life and finances. Once more she creates illusions that will lead her to nothing.



PRODUCTION NOTES

Shooting took place in Sao Paulo at the end of 2005 and post-production during 2006. Filmed on S16mm, the film was transferred to 35mm during postproduction.

The film was financed with resources gathered from awards in Brazil (State of Sao Paulo, City of Sao Paulo, and international funding (Hubert Bals Fund, TVE/Cine en Construcción/San Sebastian 2006)



DISTRIBUTION

Brasil: Imovision
North America: FiGa Films
International Sales Agent: Wide Management

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CREDITS


CAST LIST

Carla Ribas - Alice
Vinicius Zinn - Lucas
Ricardo Vilaça - Edinho
Felipe Massuia - Junior
Berta Zemel - Dona Jacira
Zécarlos Machado - Lindomar
Renata Zhaneta - Carmen
Luciano Quirino - Nilson
Mariana Leighton - Thaïs
Dirce Couto - Neide
Jorge Cerruti - Toninho
Cícero Augusto - Carlinhos Abranches
Elias Andreato - Gabriel
Claudio Jaborandy - Ivanildo
Talita Craveiro - Vanessinha
Roberto Leite - Taxi passenger
Marcos Pedroso - Client in the car
Thiago de Mello - Ophtalmologist
Francisco Gaspar - Beauty Salon’ employee
Monicah Duarte - Beauty Salon’ employee


TECHNICAL CREDITS

Director and Story - Chico Teixeira
Producers - Patrick Leblanc / Zita Carvalhosa
Screenplay - Chico Teixeira / Julio Pessoa / Sabina Anzuategui / Marcelo Gomes
Cinematography - Mauro Pinheiro Jr. (ABC)
Production Design - Marcos Pedroso
Film Editing - Vânia Debs
Production Management - Lili Bandeira
Sound Recordist - João Godoy
Sound Editor - Eduardo Santos Mendes
Casting and coach - Fatima Toledo
Director Assistant - Amilcar M. Claro
Set Decorator - Valdy Lopes Ferreira
Costume - André Simonetti
Sound Mixer - José Luiz Sasso


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