The Ballroom

The Ballroom (Chega de Saudade) is a 2007 Brazilian-French romantic drama film directed by Laís Bodanzky. The action is set in a dance hall (gafieira) in São Paulo, frequented by elderly people.

Cast

 * Tonia Carrero as Alice
 * Leonardo Villar as Álvaro
 * Stepan Nercessian as Eudes
 * Betty Faria as Elza
 * Cassia Kiss as Marici
 * Paulo Vilhena as Marquinhos
 * Maria Flor as Bel
 * Elza Soares as Ana
 * Jorge Loredo
 * Marly Marley as Liana
 * Clarisse Abujamra

Reception
David Parkinson of The Guardian called it a "quirky ensemble piece", and praised it for being "superbly choreographed." Daily Express's Allan Hunter labeled it as "bittersweet" and gave a rating 3 out of 5, saying "If Robert Altman had ever made a film about an old-fashioned dance hall it might have looked something like The Ballroom." Writing for the Evening Standard, Derek Malcom commended it by affirming: "If the film doesn't always convince, it has some wonderful moments. Bodanzky’s sympathy with his characters is obvious — and the music is as much an attraction as the series of stories we are told about them." On the other hand, David Jenkins from Time Out gave a more negative review, stating "this wannabe-steamy film never manages to generate any dramatic heat because it spreads itself far too thinly across its oversized and mundane cast."