Cast
Átila Iório 
Maria Ribeiro Orlando Macedo
Credits
Written by: 
Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Plot
A poor family of five, with a barking dog, Baleia, wanders across the drought-struck backlands of northeast Brazil, looking for work and water. The father, Fabiano, is exploited by the landowners and the police, and the mother dreams of a bed. Nelson Pereira dos Santos's 1963 film, adapted from Graciliano Ramos's novel, with its bleached light and harsh landscape, is a key work of Brazil's Cinema Novo.
Sinekatalog’s take
Nelson Pereira dos Santos's Cinema Novo landmark follows a poor family wandering Brazil's drought-stricken backlands. Stark and unsentimental, with an unforgettable dog, Baleia, it is a harsh, humane portrait of poverty.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.
Ratings
IMDb: 7.5 / 10 (3,489 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.
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