Dinosaur Eggs in the Living Room by Rafael Urban

There is more than meets the eye in this entertainingly stylized portrait of an idiosyncratic woman living in Brazil, showcasing an exceptional drive to revive the memory of her beloved husband Guido. Dinosaur Eggs in the Living Room refers to Ragnhild Borgomanero’s largest fossil collection in Latin America, currently residing in her 4,000 square meter apartment, but also serves as the trigger for a singular love story to be told.

A devoted collector of many unusual items for life, Ragnhild shifted her attention to collecting family history the moment she become a widower. This 79-year-old bionic woman is deadly serious when taking up Photoshop courses so she can digitalize and archive her life; a full-time occupation that seems to cover the void and compensate for her loss.

Visually, there is no doubt that Ragnhild is the joy of every filmmaker, her extravagant personality and dramatic demeanor effortlessly provide for an engaging viewing. Nevertheless, the film wouldn’t have achieved its congenial and attractive quirkiness without its star’s self-irony and the catchy lines delivered in a fusion of German/ Norwegian/ Portuguese accents.

Brazilian director and film critic Rafael Urban responsibly transcribes the woman’s delicate memorabilia into rich cinematic tableaux, creating an unreservedly enjoyable docudrama that marks his rebirth as a filmmaker.

by Eftihia Stefanidi