Set in a city lost in time where people forget to die, director Júlia Murat’s debut feature is a leisurely contemplation of the magic in everyday life. The fictional town of Jotuomba in Brazil’s Vale do Paraíba has just 11 people left, all of them elderly. The young have either died or moved away as the region fell prey to the decline in coffee markets. Life there is sparse and repetitious, particularly for Madalena (Sonia Guedes), a widow who runs the local bakery. Then a stranger arrives. A young woman named Rita (Lisa Fávero) appears with her cameras and iPod, like a figure from another time. She asks to stay a few days with Madalena and sets up a dark room in one wing of her house. Gradually, Madalena and the villagers warm to her, posing for pictures and sharing the stories of their long lives. But Rita wants more than what they’re willing to share and eventually starts to investigate why the local cemetery is locked up. Working with the Argentine cinematographer Lucio Bonelli, Murat captures the textures of small-town life and the subtle variations in the townspeople’s daily existence. They also create beautiful images, particularly in scenes that seem to be shot with only the light of a small oil lantern. The film gradually weaves a spell that pulls viewers into this forgotten corner of the world. Found Memories established her as an exciting new presence, picking up awards at the San Sebastián, Santa Barbara, Ljubljana, Lima, Paris, RiverRun and Fribourg Film Festivals. More recently, Murat directed and wrote the romantic drama Pendular (2017) and co-wrote the thriller Shine Your Eyes (2020).
by Frank Miller
Found Memories
Brief Synopsis
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Like every morning, Madalena makes bread for Antonio's old coffee shop. Like every day, she crosses the railways where no trains have passed for years; she cleans up the gate of the locked cemetery, and listens to the priest's sermon before sharing lunch with the other old villagers. Clinging to the
Cast & Crew
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Julia Murat
Director
Sonia Guedes
Lisa E. Favero
Luiz Serra
Ricardo Merkin
Antonio Dos Santos
Film Details
Also Known As
Historias, Historias Que Só Existem, Historias Que Só Existem Quando Lembradas, Megtalált emlékek
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Foreign
Release Date
2012
Production Company
Film Movement
Distribution Company
Film Movement; Bodega Films ; Eye International ; Film Movement
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 38m
Synopsis
Like every morning, Madalena makes bread for Antonio's old coffee shop. Like every day, she crosses the railways where no trains have passed for years; she cleans up the gate of the locked cemetery, and listens to the priest's sermon before sharing lunch with the other old villagers. Clinging to the image of her dead husband and living in her memories, Madalena is awakened by the arrival of Rita, a young photographer who is arriving in the ghost village of Jotuomba, where time seems to have stopped. A deep relationship is forged between the two women, which gradually builds to have a profound effect on both of their lives, as well as the rest of the villagers.
Director
Julia Murat
Director
Cast
Sonia Guedes
Lisa E. Favero
Luiz Serra
Ricardo Merkin
Antonio Dos Santos
Nelson Justiniano
Maria Aparecida Campos
Manoelina Dos Santos
Evanilde Souza
Juliao Rosa
Elsias Dos Santos
Pedro Igreja
Crew
Lucio Bonelli
Director Of Photography
Christian Boudier
Producer
Maria Clara Escobar
Screenplay
Juliette Lepoutre
Producer
Marie-pierre Macia
Producer
Marina Meliande
Editor
Julia Murat
Screenplay
Julia Murat
Producer
Lucia Murat
Producer
Felicitas Raffo
Producer
Felipe Sholl
Screenplay
Julia Solomonoff
Producer
Film Details
Also Known As
Historias, Historias Que Só Existem, Historias Que Só Existem Quando Lembradas, Megtalált emlékek
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Foreign
Release Date
2012
Production Company
Film Movement
Distribution Company
Film Movement; Bodega Films ; Eye International ; Film Movement
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 38m
Articles
Found Memories
Found Memories
Set in a city lost in time where people forget to die, director Júlia Murat’s debut feature is a leisurely contemplation of the magic in everyday life. The fictional town of Jotuomba in Brazil’s Vale do Paraíba has just 11 people left, all of them elderly. The young have either died or moved away as the region fell prey to the decline in coffee markets. Life there is sparse and repetitious, particularly for Madalena (Sonia Guedes), a widow who runs the local bakery. Then a stranger arrives. A young woman named Rita (Lisa Fávero) appears with her cameras and iPod, like a figure from another time. She asks to stay a few days with Madalena and sets up a dark room in one wing of her house. Gradually, Madalena and the villagers warm to her, posing for pictures and sharing the stories of their long lives. But Rita wants more than what they’re willing to share and eventually starts to investigate why the local cemetery is locked up. Working with the Argentine cinematographer Lucio Bonelli, Murat captures the textures of small-town life and the subtle variations in the townspeople’s daily existence. They also create beautiful images, particularly in scenes that seem to be shot with only the light of a small oil lantern. The film gradually weaves a spell that pulls viewers into this forgotten corner of the world. Found Memories established her as an exciting new presence, picking up awards at the San Sebastián, Santa Barbara, Ljubljana, Lima, Paris, RiverRun and Fribourg Film Festivals. More recently, Murat directed and wrote the romantic drama Pendular (2017) and co-wrote the thriller Shine Your Eyes (2020).by Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Limited Release in United States June 1, 2012
Released in United States 2012
Feature film debut for Julia Murat.
Limited Release in United States June 1, 2012 (New York City)
Released in United States 2012 (Official Selection)
Released in United States 2012 (Spanish/Latin American Cinema)
Released in United States 2012 (New Directors Prize Competition)
