"Em Nome do Pai" ("In the Name of the Father") is a tough idea to sell. All I can say is that I liked it but I can't say exactly why I liked it because it would hurt the experience of making new viewers to join and know the film; and because there could have some missunderstandings or some controversy on why I liked this picture. And another thing that affects me is how can I use of a deeper meaning, a deeper thought and write it down here without spoiling things for you? I simply can't. And I have this urgency to bring new viewers to this film. Possibly like the writer/director of this, I too, want to cause a commotion on you just the way he did with me where I couldn't figure out exactly the reasons why I liked this film despite dealing with issues we tend to avoid in the news or in movies. Yes, it's gonna leave you a little disturbed but that's what movies are also made for: to shake our senses up.

But here's some things: it's very dark, there's mystery, humor, intrigue and leaves viewers in full suspense through the whole thing. Not to mention, the trio of actors Elias Andreato, Denise Weinberg and the always incredible Leonardo Miggiorin (in his very first short film) were all brilliant. The biggest tragedy of such an intriguing project is that it isn't a feature film where the ideas could be more well developed, expanded with more characters, twists and turns and even leader a more open ending than the one we had here - which wasn't all that open. I believe if you pay enough attention you'll understand exactly what happened at the end and before.

Some minor info for you guys: here's your typical family with a mom (Weinberg), a father (Andreato), a son (Miggiorin), his baby brother (Antonio Roberto) and a dog. Their meetings and sequences filmed all take place inside the kitchen where they're usually having breakfast or having dinner, and the usual talk is constantly related to the woman's complaints about not being able to walk around in her backyard because the dog hates her; the men defend the dog all the time. When the father is out, the talks between mother and son all relates to the old man frequently arriving late at night and always drunk. And that's where lies the mystery when notice that whenever he returns, he doesn't go directly to his room shared with his wife; he always tries to enter in his son's bedroom. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. I guess you get the picture from here.

The movie wraps itself in a spiral of minor events that lead to a major change where some secrets won't stay hidden for too long and things might get out in the open to unexpected results and consequences. And although I could sense some obvious ideas coming, I could not predict its final moments (maybe some major event, but not how it was about to be shown, and neither could I predict the boy's character silent yet powerful interaction with the audience). And it's so bloody short that makes you desperate for more to be seen, more to be explored, more stuff to leave us intrigued the way we were through the whole thing. But it's all great and amazing. Can't wait to see it again, maybe just to find something new or lost during my first view. It's that kind of film that grows on you after it ends. 9/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

Alexandre Rodrigues in City of God (2002)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Storyline In the suburb of Sao Paulo, this banal love story takes place. A common family, father, mother, two children, the dog, and - - the hidden!

Elias Andreato and Leonardo Miggiorin in Em Nome do Pai (2002)

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Em Nome do Pai

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