The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão

A separation that did not have to happen. For me, this is Cannes 2019’ most powerful film. It is a film I would not bother watching after only reading the synopsis, but after it won in the Un Certain Regard section, I could not contain my curiosity. It does not work straightforwardly with emotions in the Hollywood style. The pain and sorrow you feel for the characters do not cause you to shed tears, but they weigh on your chest, even suffocating you. And you cannot help it, because you cannot help the characters. A beautiful film. [Cannes] (07/05/2019)

Melodramas aren’t my thing, but when they are so beautiful and perfectly honed, they are hard to resist. The main theme is patriarchal oppression played out in the story of two sisters who were separated from each other, and gratuitously so, only due of the malice of the men around them. It’s quite refreshing to see a story that’s not centred around the love of a couple, but around sisterly love. #KVIFF2019 (07/07/2019)

Invisible Life is a subtly crafted melodrama where the creators let the emotions flow naturally through the telling of a powerful story, without resorting to any sentimental gimmicks. This is an extremely sad film about how one youthful indiscretion and a few lies changed the lives of two inseparable sisters for good. It sounds frightening that if it weren't for the men and prejudices deeply rooted in Brazilian society at the time, their separation might never have happened. The realistic, almost naturalistic portrayal combined with the beautiful piano music, which could have made Eurídice happy under better circumstances, was enough to make me shed tears in the last ten minutes of this touching spectacle. (95%) (04/04/2021)