Movie: The Blue Trail

It’s fair to say the Brazilian movie The Blue Trail provides a new take on the traditional ‘road trip’ movie.

For one thing the person taking the trip is a 77 year-old-woman and the ‘road’ is the Amazon River!

Independent and hard working Tereza (Denise Weinberg) has lived her whole life in a small, industrialised Amazon town working on the production line of an industrial-scale meat-processing factory for alligator meat.

She’s aware of a Brazilian Government edict which dictates once she turns 80 she will be forced to leave her home and move to a senior housing colony in an isolated area of Brazil.  Here the elderly are purportedly brought to ‘enjoy’ their final years in comfort, while their relatives are freed from caring duties.

She only discovers the rules have changed, and she is now of the age where she must leave work and her home, after she is sacked from her job despite her willingness and ability to work.

While her daughter, who Tereza singularly raised, doesn’t seem to have a problem with her mother being shipped off, Tereza still has things she wants to do starting with taking a flight.

All her attempts to buy an airline ticket are thwarted as those of her age need permission from their children before they can do anything.  Her daughter refuses to give that permission.

The resourceful Tereza then discovers it may be possible to take an ultra-light plane flight from a small village further along the Amazon River and decides to go for it despite her actions being illegal.

Her trip brings her into contact with a number of shady characters including Cadu (Rodrigo Santoro) the river boat driver who agrees to take her to the village and Ludemir (Adanilo) who owns an ultra light plane. Adanilo is one of more than 20 Amazonian actors who feature in the film.

Then there’s Roberta (Mirian Socarrás) a ‘nun’ who sells bibles from her boat on the river and who has the greatest impact on Tereza’s life.

Despite her many adventures the ever-resourceful Tereza never seems fazed and gradually becomes more willing to try new things including dripping into her eyes the slime of a blue snail with seemingly mystical properties and gambling for the first time on two fighting fish.

Weinberg’s performance is amazing, she is in every scene and expertly portrays Tereza’s thoughts which range from disbelief and disillusionment to determination and optimism.

The other star is the Amazon. Director Gabriel Mascaro expertly brings the beauty and industrialisation of the river to life.

According to Mascano The Blue Trail is about the right to dream, featuring an older protagonist who decides not to accept the fate that someone else, in this case the state, traced for her.

“I wanted to make a film that serves as an ode to freedom, showcasing a rebellious septuagenarian dealing with her imminent seclusion in a seniors colony, and signalling it is never too late to find new meaning in life,” he explains.

“I find that it is unusual to see elderly protagonists in cinema, especially in dystopias, fantasies, and also in anything resembling a ‘coming-of-age’ drama.

“Above all, I wanted to make a film that was passionate about the present and the possibilities of our drive for life.”

The critical acclaim the 90 minute movie has received suggests he’s achieved his goal.

The Blue Trail releases in Australian cinemas on 30 July, with special advance screenings planned for the weekend of July 24 to 26.

*Photo credit: ®Guillermo Garza Desvia