The Year My Parents Went on Vacation

I viewed this DVD movie a number of times. Paulo Outran is the 12 year old Jewish boy as the lead actor who was ideal for the movie to be presented from his point of view. In addition it is often overlooked that Jewish citizens live South of the border. Both parents left on "vacation" leaving their Son behind so that he is safe from assassination. The Rabbi and the Jewish members of the Synagogue have one of their Senior members to watch over him. Only his Mother returns and with her son Paulo returns home. An outstanding production and rates a 5 Gold Star rating. The Jewish Diaspora to escape Genocide, went to other nations including South America to survive.

Really enjoyed this movie. I had seen it and read about it often, so I decided to order it. The young lead is very convincing in his role. Good story line.

12-year-old Mauro's parents are fleeing political oppression in 1970's Brazil, and drop Mauro off in front of his grandfather's apartment building on their way through the town he lives in. However, between the time Mauro's father spoke on the phone with his father that morning and the time Mauro is dropped off, Mauro's grandfather dies. Mauro has been told that his parents are going on vacation, and has no idea how to get in touch with them. This leaves Mauro 'Home Alone' for a very long time In his grandfather's apartment.This is nothing like the movie "Home Alone", it is much more realistic. Mauro does get some help from an elderly neighbor, although neither the man nor boy are not completely pleased with the arrangement. He also makes friends in the area and gets some help from them also. The movie does not include much excitement, but as a drama is quite good, I enjoyed watching it.

This is a great movie to understand the Military Dictatorship in Brazil in the 1970s. The movie is not explicitly about the military regime. It simply tells the story of a boy whose parents "went on vacation" (went hiding to avoid being arrested). The boy is about 11 years old and does not understand what is going on. when the boy's grandfather dies, he ends up going to live with an elderly neighbor. Through the eyes of the child, the spectator gets a glimpse of the many issues in that society: politics, economy, religion, immigrants and diversity. Beautifully crafted, the movie presents a glimpse of the Brazilian society during the dictatorship. This is definitely a Must See!

The Year My Parents Went on Vacation is a beautifully told story which presents itself in a fashion that makes the viewer want to learn more about the main character, his family and the people who have chose to care for him. I was engrossed by the concept of this film from the first few moments. A child in need of a "village" to parent him. It is hard to discuss this movie without adding "spoilers" so I will simply state, I loved this movie and hope others will too.

Excellent movie. What parents are willing to sacrifice to keep a family alive and together. Might be thematically problematic for younger teens especially where 1 or both of the parents have run out on the child. That is not actually the case in this story, but those without the mental capacity to decipher what's "behind the scenes" may come to that conclusion.

It's good. Touching

I love stories about kids and this one is very well told. It is a bittersweet movie...Loved it. Amazon has in fact a good selection of international movies.

Ten-year old Mauro Stein, of Belo Horizonte in Brazil, is bewildered because his parents are going on vacation, but can't tell him where. This is Brazil, 1970, and Mauro is left to stay with his Grandpa, Motel, in Sao Paolo. His parents are in a hurry, and so just leave Mauro outside his Grandfather's apartment building, not realising Grandfather died that morning. Shlomo, Motel's neighbour, finds Mauro outside Motel's front door. What ensues is a multi-strand story of Brazil in 1970, a Brazilian Jewish Community, and the meeting of two strangers from different cultures and generations, who must learn to accept, respect, and trust each other. Mauro doesn't know anything of his Jewish heritage, and Shlomo, a Polish Jew who is old enough to have fought in both World Wars, struggles with the idea of raising a boy who has been raised as "a Goy".This is a beautifully written, directed, and acted film about overcoming anger, fear, and mistrust. It is embued with much of the self-deprecating humour that has allowed the Ashkenazi Jewish communities around the world to survive and achieve some level of acceptance and independence. The scene where Shlomo discovers that Mauro is "a Goy!" is very funny, but still entirely perfectly framed. In fact, this is arguably one of the most accurate intimate representations on film of an Ashkenazi Jewish community I have ever seen, particularly the way the Synagogue's Court of Elders deals with the issue of custody of Mauro, who they nickname "Moishale" - the Moses Boy.

Good quality original dvd.