Balzaquianas

Based on interviews with married women, aged 20 to 40, from different social classes, the film portrays with a certain irony the hardships and the petty side of marriage. An actress plays five different women who, living in banal situations, reproduce multiple facets of subordination to the role of a good wife.

Directed by Marília de Andrade, Eliane Bandeira, Balzaquianas leans on a strong ensemble — Irene Ravache, Cláudio Mamberti, Hans Ravache — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1981.