Eccentricities of a Blonde Haired Girl

a film by Manuel de Oliveira
2009, 64 minutes

Synopsis

Adapted from a 19th-century novella by Eça de Queiroz, Manoel de Oliveira's exquisite Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl is the story of an ill-fated romance between a young accountant and a mysterious woman he spies through his window.

Reviews

"Exquisite."
—Stephen Holden, The New York Times

"A 64-minute gem."
—Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

"Brilliant. A Buñuelesque daydream with the look of a Vermeer."
—Peter Keough, Boston Pheonix

"Breathes the air of a dreamy, timeless romanticism... Oliveira brings a dry, sensual elegance to this tale of hearts confounded by circumstances and silences, and he portrays social formalities as mating rituals for human animals on the verge of brutality."
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker

"An exquisite adaptation that swells with a sensualist's eye for vital detail."
—Simon Abrams, New York Press

"Three and a half stars. Masterful. Much like the final films of Luis Buñuel and John Huston, Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl exudes the cumulative sophistication of its elderly creator."
—Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times

Press Materials

Box Art

Where to watch

Playdates

Sept 26: NYFF - New York, NY

Festivals & Awards

Official Selection - Berlin Film Festival
Official Selection - New York Film Festival
Official Selection - Toronto International Film Festival

Trailer

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