| País do Desejo | |
| Director: | Paulo Caldas |
| Cinematography: | Paulo Jacinto dos Reis |
| Editing: | Vânia Debs |
| Runtime: | 87 minutes |
| Language: | Portuguese |
País do Desejo is a 2012 drama film co-written and directed by Paulo Caldas.[1] The film premiered at the 35th São Paulo International Film Festival.[2]
The film is based on a 2009 real-life case in which a 9-year-old Brazilian girl became pregnant after years of sexual abuse committed by her stepfather. As the pregnancy was the result of a rape and represented a risk to the girl's life, she underwent an abortion, as is provided for under Brazilian law.[3]
The story is told from the center of the crisis of a Catholic priest that is positioned against the decision of the Archbishop of the Church to excommunicate the mother, the girl, and the doctors involved in the abortion.
The film tells the story of Roberta, a famous classical pianist who faces a tough battle against severe kidney disease, and José, a somewhat unconventional priest, which supports a 12-year-old girl raped by her uncle and pregnant with twins, to have an abortion.[4]
The fate of the two characters crosses when Roberta faints at a concert and is hospitalized in a local clinic, belonging to the brother of the priest. Gradually, he is interested by the pianist, and that love will change their destiny in many ways.