Central Station

Saturday, December 15, 2012

35mm print “Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) is a retired schoolteacher eking out an existence by writing letters for illiterate passers-by in Rio’s busiest railway station. She never bothers posting the letters. Josue (Vinicius De Oliveira) is the nine-year-old son of one of the women she deceives. When his mother is killed, Josue is left alone in the big city. Dora takes pity on the boy and reluctantly joins him on an epic cross-country journey in search of his father. Part travelogue, part neo-realist fable, the film works so well because the director refuses to play up the sentimentality. Both the boy and the older woman are hardened and cynical. Only very slowly does their mutual distrust break down.” – Time Out (London)

• Country Brazil/France
• Language In Portuguese and German with English subtitles
• Rating R
• Year 1998
• Running Time 115 minutes
• Director Walter Salles

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.