I have no idea how they managed to find so many androgynous identical looking actors - it was impressive. This movie was long, slow, and depressing. Much like the lives of those depicted in it. Maybe that was the point?

Supremely nuanced and textured account of something just so awful. The juxtaposition of environments and using the cities geography to the tell the greater story is really masterful. Really love also how Costa is able to get so much out of the actors faces, there's all these long closes ups that say so much more than any words.

An incredible piece of filmmaking from Costa. The rich imagery and stunning sound design of this downbeat area of Lisbon gives the film its vitality, while the pacing, the barely moving camera, and the non-expressive characters suggest the near-absence of life in this section of the city. And yet, the regular sounds of chatter, laughter, and animals suggest that life continues on, vibrant, full, and most of all, somewhere else.

Slow and an extremely humanist depiction of the urban poor in Lisbon. With Bresson's cinematographer from L'Argent Costa created a superb docufiction about a suicidal teen who gives birth to a son and decides to give him up to the care of the violent father.

I have no idea how they managed to find so many androgynous identical looking actors - it was impressive. This movie was long, slow, and depressing. Much like the lives of those depicted in it. Maybe that was the point?