Listen

A film that criticizes UK social services. Being poor is not a reason to take children away from their parents, but they should receive social support.

Story: 6*

Actors: 5*. There is the exception of Lúcia Moniz who carried the film on her shoulders. 8*

Photography: 4*

Music/Sound: 4*

Best part: courtroom scene.

Worst part: the end of the story was missing.

Costume Design/Makeup and Hairstyling: 7* Given the context of poverty. They did well. It can be seen that the film was made with a low budget, in all aspects.

Even so, it had everything to be a better film. 1 hour of film that was incomplete. At least it's only an hour.

Rating: 5/10.

A couple of Portuguese emigrants from the London suburbs face serious problems when Social Services decide to take their children away.

Ana Rocha de Sousa cleared herself from the comparisons of her film with those of Ken Loach, one of my favorite British directors, who focuses mainly on social problems and discriminatory acts in the United Kingdom, but it is evident that the Portuguese director has in her first feature the "British style" present (she studied at London Film School), in her own way.

It is such a real and powerful drama that it is difficult (or impossible, say) not to feel uncomfortable and disturbed watching Listen, much because of the expressiveness and emotion that Lúcia Moniz (as Bela) conveys, in contrast with the silence and emotional pain showned by Rúben Garcia (as Jota).

The photography is very particular and interesting, out of the standard that we are used to in Portuguese films.

All the recognition given to this film is more than deserved.

And real indeed since this is something that hasappend in real life. A Portuguese couple living in London suburbs have their three chuldren (which includes a little girl who is deaf ) taken form them by social security for adoption without any serioius charge against them. The whole movie shows the fight and reaction those parents do trying to reverse that unfair decision. The mother is specially reactive sometimes with violent verbal and physical posture. Lucia Moniz does an excellent performing joc as Bela, the mother. Very convincing and realistic.movie.

Based on a true story, the film is about a couple who has to fight to get their children back. It's portrayed very realistically and the direction is first rate. Enjoyed this a lot.

Another Portuguese quality movie, tackling a very serious and urgent issue that clearly needs more visibility.

I am glad to see that my home country is continuing the trend of making good film content. There is a stigma in Portugal where a lot of people believe that there aren't good ideas or movies coming out of the industry, but the reality is that the lack of support specially from the government in our own culture has made things tougher for amazing artists to be able to actually execute their ideas, so it's always good that not only we have a good movie, but it is also being recognized internationally in the prestigious awards ceremonies.

The movie tells the story of a real life ongoing issue within the UK and one that is probably not that well known around the world - poor families, are being ripped of their children if the social security services state that they are incapable to maintain them. Now this doesn't sound so bad when mentioned like this, but the reality is much, much darker... Even if families are poor, there are a lot of reported situations where they can still viably take care of their children, even with the financial difficulties, and instead of helping them out paying for specific needs like health related equipment for instance, social security services have no problem in taking the kids to feed a high demanding industry: adoption. There have been several real life reported cases where this is actually happening, poor families, destroyed, their children taken from them, simply for the profit of the adoption market - they give a hard time to the original families to connect with their children, once adoption is made it cannot be reversed and if the original parents try to get to their children and take them again they will be considered kidnappers.

It is a very heartbreaking and unfortunate real issue, and it is amazing that Portugal was able to make such a social statement, specially since a lot of the affected families are actually Portuguese. The acting is on point, Lucia Moniz has proven herself before but she shines on this movie, right next to her co-star Ruben Garcia.

For her directorial debut, Ana Rocha did an amazing job, although the movie has a lack of variety in its atmosphere, happening for most of its time in the same locations, which slightly gives you an emptiness feeling, it's a really important message, well executed, well acted and a must see. I was sad to hear that it wasn't considered as a foreign movie contender for the Oscars since it is partially spoken in English (the story takes place in the UK), I believe it would have had very good chances, one of the best movies coming out of Portuguese lands so far!