Barren Lives (film)

Barren Lives (Portuguese: Vidas Secas) is a 1963 Brazilian drama film directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos, based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Graciliano Ramos. It is considered a seminal work of Brazilian cinema and a key film of the Cinema Novo movement.

The film tells the story of a desperately poor family migrating through the arid backlands (sertão) of northeastern Brazil in the 1940s, searching for sustenance and a place to settle. The family, consisting of the parents, Fabiano and Sinhá Vitória, their two sons, and their dog Baleia (Whale), endure hardship, drought, hunger, and exploitation at the hands of landowners and authorities.

Barren Lives is known for its stark realism, non-linear narrative, and poignant portrayal of human suffering in the face of environmental and social injustice. It utilizes location shooting and non-professional actors to create an authentic and unflinching depiction of life in the impoverished sertão. The film explores themes of poverty, migration, class inequality, and the dehumanizing effects of drought and social alienation. It is celebrated for its social commentary and its contribution to the development of Brazilian national cinema.