Vitalina Varela (2020)
79%RT Audience Score: 59%
Awards & Nominations: 23 wins & 34 nominations
Rigorous and beautifully composed, Vitalina Varela is a quietly absorbing drama whose placid surface belies hidden depths
Vitalina Varela is a visually stunning film that will leave you feeling both haunted and inspired. Pedro Costa’s use of light and shadow is nothing short of masterful, and the way he captures the beauty of the night sky will make you want to go stargazing ASAP. Plus, the titular character is a total badass who will make you want to start wearing a cape everywhere you go. Overall, this film is a must-see for anyone who loves artful cinema and wants to be transported to another world.
Production Company(ies)
Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Les Films, Marceau
Distributor
Grasshopper Film
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2020
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.33 : 1
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Runtime:2h 4m
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Language(s):Portuguese
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Country of origin:Portugal
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2020
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Vitalina Varela, Ventura, Manuel Tavares Almeida, Francisco Brito, Marina Alves Domingues, Imídio Monteiro, directed by Pedro Costa, written by Pedro Costa, Vitalina Varela, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Adam Nayman, Jake Wilson, Joe Morgenstern, Peter Bradshaw, Danny Leigh, Mark Asch, Carlos Bonfil, Matt McCracken, Antonio R Jiménez, Amelie Lasker, John Beifuss, produced by Abel Ribeiro Chaves, MPAA rating, Grasshopper Film, Portuguese, Cape Verde, Lisbon, mourning, grief, hidden depths, placid surface, rigorous, beautifully composed, demanding, rewarding, ineffably stirring, digital chiaroscuro, political ghost stories, lives other films leave outside the frame, mystery, mine, spotlighted dollhouse rooms, angry, bitter, tormented, transfixing, funereally deliberate, ecstatically wrought
Worldwide gross: $56,860
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $64,887
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,068
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 7,076
US/Canada gross: $14,941
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $17,050
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,805
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,612
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,263
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,796
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Ventura – Ventura
Manuel Tavares Almeida – Manuel Tavares Almeida
Francisco Brito – Francisco Brito
Marina Alves Domingues – Marina Alves Domingues
Imídio Monteiro – Imídio Monteiro
Director(s)
Pedro Costa
Writer(s)
Pedro Costa, Vitalina Varela
Producer(s)
Abel Ribeiro Chaves
Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
23 wins & 34 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (61) | Rotten (1)
Costa-who is one of the great image makers-visualizes that sense of relief and renewal beautifully. It’s amazing how powerful the sight of blue skies can be after being plunged into endless night.
January 27, 2021
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
The enduring paradox of Costa’s work is that this setting has its own irresistible glamour, reminiscent of fashion photography; the people he films are his models.
August 6, 2020
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Vitalina Varela is demanding, rewarding, and ineffably stirring.
March 26, 2020
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
Almost all of the film takes place at night, except the very end, when there is daylight and even sunlight. The result is weirdly moving.
March 5, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Costa remains a master of digital chiaroscuro, of political ghost stories – and of the lives other films leave outside the frame.
March 4, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Leigh
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Rich, mysterious, rigorous and generous.
March 4, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Mark Asch
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The Lisbon filmmaker’s most evocative and complete achievement to date. [Full review in Spanish]
July 29, 2021
Carlos Bonfil
La Jornada
This latest film may be most notable…for its changing of the temporal rules that have up until now defined the occupants of Fontainhas.
June 5, 2021
Matt McCracken
In Review Online
Pedro Costa writes a fascinating chronicle of mourning, uprooting and oblivion in contemporary Portugal. [Full Review in Spanish]
May 17, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Antonio R. Jiménez
Espinof
The movie’s production design and cinematography work well with this story of mystery and grief. Often, we feel as if we are in a mine, or maybe moving through spotlighted dollhouse rooms, everything too delicate and dim to be real.
February 25, 2021
Amelie Lasker
FF2 Media
A painstakingly painterly film that is as funereally deliberate as it is ecstatically wrought.
February 24, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Convoluted. Gorgeous. Mesmerizing. Frustrating. Vitalina Varela -from Portugal. Pedro Costa has made a truly transfixing work that is grounded by the angry, bitter and tormented titular character.
February 7, 2021 | Rating: B-
Frank J. Avella
Awards Daily…
Plot
Vitalina Varela follows a woman who moves from Cape Verde to her deceased husband’s shack on the outskirts of Lisbon, exploring themes of grief and renewal.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about Vitalina Varela, but they do mention the cast, which includes Vitalina Varela herself in the titular role.
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