'The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and everything else about Brazil's 2020 Oscar entry
'The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão', Brazil's 2020 Oscar entry in the 'International Feature Film' category, has been bought by Amazon Studios before its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Portuguese-language film previously won the Cannes' Un Certain Regard award.
The melodrama centers around two sisters struggling to define themselves in the machista culture of Brazil in the 1950s. The movie is based on the 2016 novel 'The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão' by Martha Batalha.
The Brazilian–German drama is part of Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke's plan to counter Netflix by focusing on quality rather than quantity. Besides mainstream pictures with a wide theatrical release, along the lines of 'The Big Sick', Amazon Studios is also purchasing smaller, art-house films. These art-house films will see a shorter theatrical release and will be positioned as contenders in the awards race.
Release date:
The film will make its North American premiere at TIFF on September 10. Amazon Studios, which bought the North American rights to the film, is yet to reveal its U.S. release date.
Plot:
The story is set in Rio de Janeiro in 1950. The film centers around two sisters, Eurídice, 18, and Guida, 20, who share a close bond and live at home with their conservative parents. Despite being traditional for the most part, each nourishes an ambition.
Eurídice wants to become a renowned pianist, while Guida dreams of finding true love. When they are separated by their father and forced to live apart, they each take control of their separate destinies, while never giving up hope of finding each other again. The film is being described as a “tropical melodrama”.
Cast:
The film stars Carol Duarte, Julia Stockler and Fernanda Montenegro. Fernanda Montenegro is an Oscar nominee for best actress in Walter Salles' 'Central Station' (1998), which was the last Brazilian movie to be nominated in the category. Montenegro plays the older Eurídice Gusmão in the film while Carol Duarte plays the young Eurídice Gusmão.
Julia Stockler has been cast as Guida Gusmão, Euridice's sister. Nikolas Antunes portrays the Greek sailor Yorgos, Guida's lover. Their stern father, Manuel, is played by Antonio Fonseca, while the part of their dutiful mother, Ana, has been essayed by Flavia Gusmao. Other cast members include Antenor Bárbara Santos, Maria Manoella, Cristina Pereira and Gillray Coutinho.
Creators:
The film's director is Karim Aïnouz, an award-winning film director, screenwriter and visual artist. Aïnouz drew on his memories of his single mother for 'The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão'. Rodrigo Teixeira, who produced 'Call Me By Your Name' and 'Frances Ha' among others, is one of the film's producers along with Viola Fügen and Michael Weber. The film is an RT Features production, with co-producers Pola Pandora, Sony Pictures, Canal Brasil, Naymar and UNO Filmes, and support from Ancine/FSA/BRDE and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.
Trailers:
The trailer shows the two sisters confiding in each other, each supporting the other in any way they can, especially when it comes to convincing their father. But destiny splits them apart.
Guida returns home pregnant after a failed love affair but sees that her father has already sent her sister away. She too is asked to leave the house because she has disgraced the family. Even as both sisters struggle to adjust to their lives apart, they are unable to forget each other.
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