Central Station

Shown: 2 October 2000

Brazil/France 1998 (subtitles)
110 minutes
Directed by Walter Salles
Leading players - Fernanda Montenegro and Vinicius de Oliveira

Synopsis

Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) is a cynical, disillusioned former school-teacher who now has a stall in Rio's main railway station writing letters for those who are illiterate. Their pathetic outpourings enrage her and she throws away most of the letters. One day an impoverished woman and her young son come to the desk, asking Dora to write to the boy's father. She has no more sympathy for them than for anyone else and so when Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira) comes back a little later, she rejects his appeal for help. He persists but she dreams up a scheme by which she can get rid of him and at the same time obtain money to buy a new T.V. Despite this, and very much against her wishes, she eventually finds herself helping the 9-year-old look for the father he has never known.

As well as being nominated for an Oscar in two categories - best foreign language film and best actress (Montenegro) - and winning three prizes at the 1998 Berlin International Film Festival, this movie has been given many other awards from all over the world. These attest to the subtle and engaging nature of the film. It is the simple tale of a journey through modern Brazil, and the outcome of the search for Josue's father is almost irrelevant: it is the developing relationship between Dora and the boy that grips the viewer. Fernanda Montenegro gives a brilliant performance as she blossoms from a hard, selfish, old woman into a gentler, happier individual. This could easily be predictable and sentimental but it is so deftly handled by both actress and director that it is neither. Vinicius de Oliveira was discovered by Walter Salles working as a shoe-shine boy in an airport. Apparently he asked the director for money to buy food and Salles knew he'd found Josue. Although only 10 he is utterly convincing as the child old beyond his years.