Vitória

"Vitória is a film that overflows with complex feelings. On one hand, there is the powerful true story of an elderly woman who filmed drug dealers and militiamen from her home window, resulting in the arrest of the criminals. It is a commendable act of courage -- a truly inspiring story. There is also the remarkable performance of Fernanda Montenegro, now in her 90s, bringing truth to this vulnerable, but also strong and courageous character. She is the soul of the film. On the other hand, however, Vitória undeniably reveals itself as a film that is content to be simple. The story is quite simplified at times, in a script that is afraid of getting complicated. So simplified, in fact, that it ends up having slightly confusing moments and others that are resolved without further ado. It is a film that required a little more boldness, of breaking patterns. None of this, however, appears in the merely correct direction of Andrucha Waddington. Furthermore, it is important to reflect on the casting of Fernanda Montenegro. It is true that the film's production only found out that she was a black woman in 2023, when the film was already in pre-production. But it is uncomfortable to see that everyone around the character is black, except her. It is definitely something to think about."