What can the walls of a house keep from you? A life story? A tale of death? A secret? With his fourth film in the National Competition at Curtas Vila do Conde – after “Penúmbria” (2016), “Declive” (2018) and “Ursula” (2020) –, the formal rigor and visual poetry of the cinematic universe of Eduardo Brito gives way to a more linear narrative, while not abandoning the mystery and oneiric dimension that characterizes his previous work. In Greek mythology, whoever crossed the river Lethes erased all memory of his previous life. It is precisely with a dive in the river that the film begins (or ends?), a way of evoking a kind of cleansing ritual, a return to a state of purity, which, however, here also leaves the question: what is there to forget? The absence of words as a guiding thread, which is characteristic of his previous films, now gives way to a blank space for reflection, which increases the comfort of repeating everyday tasks, at least while it makes sense. At the core of the film, there is a girl taking care of her grandmother, until an unthinkable request is made. Perhaps what happens next is something that belongs to the two characters only, because what really matters is the empathy and dignity that the film admirably bestows to these characters and their destiny, and thus also to the viewer. (JA)