Hello fellow film lovers!
This Brazilian film really caught my attention with its genuine story, set in Rio de Janeiro.
The film features a renowned Brazilian actress, Fernanda Montenegro, who, by the way, turned 96 in October 2025!
Can you imagine a person about to live to be a century old starring in a film?
And she plays her role perfectly.
🎬A brief summary of the film:
80-year-old Nina lives alone and is worried about the growing crime in her neighborhood. Amidst tense relationships with her neighbors, she decides to film the narcotraffickers from her window, hoping to help the police. After several months of filming, her initiative catches the attention of a journalist, who offers to help her.
The film was released in 2025.Country: Brazil.Runtime: almost 2 hours.
🎬The story follows 80-year-old Nina, who lives in a house next to the Brazilian favelas.
This apartment came to her in a difficult way; she used to serve in a very wealthy household and suffered a lot there...
🎬In the distant past, the house faced a hill and a forest, and the view from the window was breathtaking.
But over time, the situation took a drastic turn.
At the foot of the hill, Brazilian slums - favelas - emerged, bringing chaos into Nina's life!
Endless feuds, shootouts, and drug trafficking - all this happened right in front of the elderly woman's eyes from her apartment window.
🎬There was no peace, neither day nor night.
Bullets would fly through the windows into her apartment, making it unsafe to live there!
🎬In the hope of helping the police, Nina buys a video camera and starts filming the events happening outside her window.
What's crazy is that the police are just standing by and doing nothing!!!
It's all about corruption, and how the people in charge are just enabling it.
And even with all the evidence, including footage from a camera, they just don't care.
The neighborhood of Capocabana in Rio, where Nina lived, is one of the most dangerous areas in the city.
You can get robbed right on the beach.../
But Nina's not one to give up, and she's determined to find a way to take on the corrupt system.
So she heads to the main police station, where she meets a journalist who's willing to help her out.
It's a chance encounter, but the journalist is really moved by Nina's story.
But it's a huge risk for both of them - it's extremely dangerous!/
Not just for Nina, but for the journalist too.
This movie's got a slow-burning pace, but the tension builds up really well.
The way the director shows the chaos and corruption is really effective - it's like you're watching it all unfold from Nina's apartment window.
I felt so bad for Nina - I just can't even put it into words.../
The scene where Nina gets taken away by the cops in the middle of the day, with a gun pointed at her head, had me on edge.
Nina's actually a massage therapist, and she's learned the skills from working with a wealthy family.
But she never thought she'd be giving a massage to a drug dealer, who she's trying to expose.
One scene that really stood out to me was when Nina interacted with the boy from the favela.
He often helped the old lady - sometimes carry her bag, sometimes throw away trash.
For a woman in her old age, that kind of help is priceless.
And for the boy, who comes from a family where food is a luxury, a glass of milk or a few coins from the old lady is a big deal.
Even when the boy gets into a tough spot, Nina doesn't scold him.
She wants him to learn and be careful of the dangers on the streets.
The streets of Copacabana don't show any mercy, not even to kids.
- What's he done wrong? He's just a kid...
Watching those scenes reminded me of a documentary series I used to watch, "The World Upside Down" by Komarov, about Brazil.
Brazil is a country of huge contrasts - wealthy and influential people living in luxury, and the poverty of the favelas.
Even kids are involved in the narco trade!
They might use drugs, carry guns, and deal with illicit substances.
It's really scary.
Getting a kid out of the narco trade is extremely difficult...
The movie really got under my skin.
Narco dealers can quickly spot people watching them and might report them to the police.
I've got to give a huge shoutout to Fernando Montenegro's acting – it's absolutely phenomenal!
Working in the film industry at 96 is no easy feat, and I've got nothing but respect for the actress.
I wouldn't have guessed her real age if she hadn't told me, and for someone of her years, she looks incredible.
This is one of the best actresses Brazil has ever produced – I wish her all the best health and longevity!
Who's going to bail Nina out of trouble when the Copeacabana police are definitely not on her side?
Can Nina hold on to her faith and see this through?
Can the police department get the situation under control in Copeacabana?
Find out the intricacies of this complex and real story in the film 'Vitoria'.
You'll also get a small backstory about this brave Brazilian woman, who only gained recognition after her passing in 2023.
Why the film is called 'Vitoria' is something you'll discover as you watch.
I was on the edge of my seat worrying about the main character the whole time.
This film is incredibly uplifting and positive, with some truly outstanding acting performances.
It gives us hope that not everything in our world is lost.
There's still room for kindness, mutual support, love, and compassion in our world.
While the film may lack a bit of dynamism, I don't want to deduct points for that - the emotions on screen are conveyed convincingly.
The courage and bravery of this woman really impressed me.
Someone who's experienced a lot of hardship in their life refuses to give up and keeps going, despite the absurdity of the security system.
I highly recommend watching it!
Thanks for reading my review!
Enjoy your movie night and have a great weekend!
Check out my other reviews of films based on real-life events:
"I ran away from my parents to be independent..." A sweet poison: the real story of Brazil's most famous prostitute, Bruna Surfsitina (Rakel Pacheco).
Child trafficking... Based on real events. The heart-wrenching pain in the eyes of James Caviezel in 'The Sound of Freedom'. I'm blown away.
Don't go, girls, to Syria to party!!! Based on real events! An English journalist contacts a terrorist to write an exposé about recruitment. 'Profile' by Timur Bekmambetov in the format of a screenlife.
Colonia Dignidad - a place of evil that existed for 30 years in real life! Can the main characters escape this hell?
They ate the bodies of dead people to survive!!! The story of survival after a plane crash in the Andes. A real-life story that happened in 1972.
She ran 6 miles barefoot through the snow!!! Investigation of the murder of a girl in an Indian reservation. The Wind That Shakes the Barley: based on real events.
A 12-year-old boy sues his parents for giving him life! Based on real events!!! Capernaum: a film that turns your stomach inside out...
I have to say, I was hooked from the very start on Chong Kim's incredible story.
Her harrowing tale of being kidnapped and forced into prostitution had me on the edge of my seat.
I loved how the author delved into the complexities of human nature, showcasing both the beauty and the beast within.