In the shadows of Lisbon, where the sun struggles to pierce through the smog and concrete, Vitalina Varela (played by the indomitable Vitalina Varela herself) arrives. She is a widow, a Cape Verdean immigrant stepping onto Portuguese soil for the first time, decades after her husband left to seek a better life. She carries with her a suitcase filled with memories and a miserable heart. Pedro Costa's Vitalina Varela (2019) is a stark and poetic journey into the depths of isolation, grief, and the enduring power of human tenacity.
The film opens with Vitalina standing alone in an empty apartment. The walls are bare, the air thick with the silence of absence. Her husband, Joaquim, is dead, and the life she had envisioned for herself has crumbled into dust. In a series of fragmented vignettes that serve as windows into Varela’s memories, we learn of their shared past, their love, and the painful distance that grew between them over the years.
Costa's direction is a masterclass in cinematic minimalism. The film is shot in stark black and white, with long, static shots that emphasize the suffocating emptiness of Vitalina's surroundings. The camera lingers on her face, a map of weathered resilience and unspoken sorrow. The dialogue is sparse, often replaced by the hushed sounds of footsteps on creaky floorboards and the distant hum of the city.
Vitalina Varela is not a film driven by plot. It's a film of atmosphere and emotion, a meditation on grief, displacement, and the brevity of life. Vitalina's journey is not one of easy resolution. She wanders through a labyrinth of memories, searching for solace and understanding. She encounters other immigrants, each with their own stories of loss and longing, their lives intertwined with the rhythms of a city that both welcomes and rejects them.
The eponymous Vitalina Varela acts with quiet power. Her face, etched with hardship and resilience, speaks volumes. There is a dignity in her silence, a strength in her vulnerability. She is not a victim, but a survivor, a woman who has endured great pain and emerged with her soul intact.
Vitalina Varela is a film that challenges conventional storytelling. It demands patience and an openness to embrace its slow, contemplative rhythm. For those willing to surrender to its stark beauty and emotional depth, it offers a profound and moving experience. It's a testament to the human experience, even in its most desolate corners. It’s a testament to life.
It’s over before you know it.
Vitalina Varela
Written by Vitalina Varela and Pedro Costa, Directed by Pedro Costa
2019
124 minutes
Portoguese
Recommended way to watch (at time of publication): Kanopy