Housemaids 2012
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Desvia
Directed by Gabriel Mascaro
DVD , color, 75 min.
Sr. High - General Adult
Labor Relations, Latin America, Careers
Date Entered: 12/06/2013
Reviewed by Marta Siuba, Loyola University, New OrleansConsisting of seven individually told vignettes, this documentary seeks to expose the intimate relationships that exist in Brazilian middle and upper class families between housemaids and the families which they support. Individual chapters represent varying situations and each family is given free rein to film their housemaids for a week. Every account is given utilizing home video footage and is entirely unscripted. There are drawn out scenes of the housemaids working their daily chores, as well as raw and intimate interview questions asked by the family members.
The level of intimacy which is confessed to the viewer is incredible, as you truly see what life as a housemaid is like on a daily basis. The maids often have deeply distressing pasts filled with hardship, which they freely disclose. Each family and maid has a varying degree of integration, but the ties are often deep and cross the boundary line of simple employer and employee relations.
While the documentary exposes the world of housemaids, there is no clear beginning or end to the film. It is often difficult to follow when one interview ends, and another begins. This lack of structure makes it difficult to follow, but the format lends itself well to representing the unique situations facing each family.
Awards
- 2012 Panorama Internacional Coisa De Cinema
- 2012 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)
- 2013 Buenos Aires International Film Festival (BAFICI)
Best Film