A filmmaker goes on a journey to honor the memory of his late mother, but the voyage proves to be more grueling than he expected in this documentary from Portuguese filmmaker Goncalo Tocha. Tocha fell into a period of depression after the unexpected death of his mother, and the recent illness of his great-aunt Maria do Rosario Gouveia Filipe -- who like Tocha believes his mother died before her time -- has only made things harder for him. While going through his mother's effects, Tocha finds a journal she kept during a voyage to the Azores, and as he searches for closure, he decides to take a trip of his own. Tocha discovers Hubert Gidon (known to his friends as "Beru") and Florence Beaufrere), who offer chartered trips aboard their sailboat Balaou, and Tocha books a trip with them. But rough waters and a serious case of seasickness make the trip a physical challenge to the filmmaker as he tries to face his emotional demons. Balaou received its North American debut at the 2007 Vancouver Film Festival.
by Mark Deming
synopsis
