The House of Sand

Description

It's 1910 in Brazil, Vasco, his wife Aurea, and Aurea's mother Maria travel across the desert. They have made the journey through the sand dunes in order to find the property that Vasco has purchased.

Upon reaching the land, Vasco trades items for materials to build their house. Aurea discovers that she is pregnant and would like to go back to the city. Vasco vehemently refuses. The house, more like a hut, is almost complete when Vasco goes crazy, has an accident, and dies. Aurea and Maria find themselves stranded with no food or water.

With their belonging gathered, they start walking across the dunes. However, the wind doesn't let up and is ferociously blowing sand at them while the sun beats down on them. Their attempt to get back to civilization is fruitless and they go back to the hut. When that doesn't work, Maria attempts to find someone who will lead them to a city.

Aurea comes across a camp with a soldier and several scientists. The 1919 eclipse is the reason they have been brought to the dunes. While there, Aurea hears music. Hearing music for the first time in ten years, Aurea begins to cry. The soldier promises to take Aurea, her daughter Maria, and her mother Maria back to the city.

When Aurea returns to the hut, she finds that a sandstorm has filled the house with sand, killing her mother. Her daughter is fine. Aurea and Maria find themselves homeless and go to see Mussa. He has been a friend to Aurea since she arrived in the land.

Through the course of time, Aurea comes to accept her life in the sand dunes. Her daughter is disdainful of the life and does not want to be any part of it.

Review:

This foreign movie is void of color, although the beauty of the landscape is breathtaking. The movie goes full circle first showing Aurea struggling to return to the city then accepting her plight. Now her daughter is beginning to show that same desperate struggle to get away from the dunes.

Opinion:

This is an absolutely lovely movie. It is man versus nature and depicts how life is influenced by nature. Time also reflects a change in personality. The resiliency of the human spirit is nicely displayed. I highly recommend this movie.