Captive Hearts

In this clear-eyed Brazilian documentary, filmmaker Joana Nin spends time with seven women on the outside who fell in love with and married convicts. Her subjects vary in age and background, but most appear to be working class. In addition to telling their stories, the women also read from their correspondence, including some beautifully decorated cards and letters. The women prepare homemade dishes to bring to the correctional facility, where they must submit to a strip search before entering (although Nin doesn't show their faces, this sequence is fairly graphic; Nin also films a conjugal visit, indicating a closer-than-usual filmmaker/subject dynamic). Some of the women admit that they do not know what crimes their husbands committed. Kamila finds out, but doesn't disclose the details—although it's clear that it has no effect on her feelings. Cida says she first saw her future husband on TV due to his criminal activity. She liked his looks and sought him out, but later realized he was using their relationship in order to secure an early release. One way or another, these women are all romantics who have overlooked trouble signs in order to feel less alone. Says Simone, “Knowing that I have someone who loves me…is better than in the past when I didn't have him in my life.” A different Camila adds, “I believe love overcomes anything.” Some have told their social circle the truth, while others have lied about their husbands' absence from their lives. United with their spouses after prison, Simone and Cida have also had to deal with drug addiction and domestic violence. But not all of the stories have unhappy endings in Nin's intriguing documentary, which explores rather than judges the actions of these hopeful women. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)