The Ballroom (Portuguese: Chega de Saudade) is a 2007 Brazilian-French[2] romantic drama film directed by Laís Bodanzky. The action is set in a dance hall (gafieira) in São Paulo, frequented by elderly people.
| The Ballroom | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Laís Bodanzky |
| Written by | Luiz Bolognesi |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Walter Carvalho |
| Edited by | Paulo Sacramento |
| Music by | Eduardo Bid. Additional music : "C'est si bon" by Henri Betti (1947) |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Buena Vista International |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Countries | Brazil France |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Box office | R$1,591,603[1] |
Cast
- Tonia Carrero as Alice
- Leonardo Villar as Álvaro
- Stepan Nercessian as Eudes
- Betty Faria as Elza
- Cassia Kiss as Marici
- Paulo Vilhena as Marquinhos
- Maria Flor as Bel
- Elza Soares as Ana
- Jorge Loredo
- Marly Marley as Liana
- Clarisse Abujamra
Reception
David Parkinson of The Guardian called it a "quirky ensemble piece", and praised it for being "superbly choreographed."[3] Daily Express's Allan Hunter labeled it as "bittersweet" and gave a rating 3 out of 5, saying "If Robert Altman had ever made a film about an old-fashioned dance hall it might have looked something like The Ballroom."[4] Writing for the Evening Standard, Derek Malcom commended it by affirming: "If the film doesn't always convince, it has some wonderful moments. Bodanzky’s sympathy with his characters is obvious — and the music is as much an attraction as the series of stories we are told about them."[5] On the other hand, David Jenkins from Time Out gave a more negative review, stating "this wannabe-steamy film never manages to generate any dramatic heat because it spreads itself far too thinly across its oversized and mundane cast."[6]
References
External links
- The Ballroom at IMDb
