For thirty years, María and José resided in a hostel in a bourgeois building. They work extremely hard and have become indispensable to everyone. An inheritance from heaven descends upon them. And now everything is falling apart for those who exploit them.
In honor of his parents…
…and for the entire Portuguese community. For the characters of Maria, who worked as a janitor for thirty years in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, and for her husband José, an accomplished mason, Rubén Alves was inspired by his parents who held these positions. “With this film, I wanted to give them back a little of what they gave me. They didn’t know what the film was about. They were shocked.”. Like many Portuguese. But not only.
International success
With 1.2 million views in France, the film caused a surprise. In Portugal, it brought in more than $5 million (or half the French revenue) and beat The outcasts To the office box.
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The art of playing with clichés
“In France, when you say you’re Portuguese, you’re often asked if you don’t know someone to work or clean!”“, says the director. He deals with these clichés with humor. Of Lusitanian origin, Barbara Capretta plays the role of the couple’s daughter. The depth that accompanies laughter is touching. “The weight of what is left unsaid and the distance we put between us, out of humility, when there is so much love, is reproduced very well.”
Golden Cage : Monday, July 3 at 9:05 pm on France 2
Julian Barcellon
