Shadows in the House

Fifteen year old Paulo Gustavo spends his days at the social center run by an evangelistic church while his mother, Gisele, struggles with alcoholism. The film follows the family's everyday rhythms around the center, where social worker Valéria Inês Silva Papa evaluates whether Gisele can keep custody of her children. Valéria, who is also a mother and an evangelical pastor, encourages the family to take part in church life as part of her outreach. Paulo talks openly about a girl named Tainara, saying he's in love, even though few people seem to know her. The documentary observes daily interactions and decisions without forcing judgement, staying close to ordinary moments and bureaucratic procedures. It keeps a quiet, observational camera presence throughout.

Released in 2010, Shadows in the House is a documentary directed by Justine Triet, built around filming a single family's life at an evangelistic social center. The film uses the family members' own voices rather than actors, in real time.

No reliable box office figures are widely available for the film. Its theatrical exposure was limited, with most screenings taking place at festivals, small venues and community showings rather than broad commercial release, and television broadcast information is scarce altogether.

The film hasn't reached wide recognition, but it offers moments that local audiences and social workers have cited when discussing alcoholism, custody and faith based social programs. Its intimate access has made it a reference in small screenings and classroom conversations about vulnerability and institutional oversight within community studies and training.

Critics and viewers gave mixed to negative responses, reflected in a low aggregate rating from a small number of votes. Reviewers note the film's patient observation of daily hardship, focusing on childhood, parental addiction, the role of faith communities and the tensions between care and institutional procedures and public responsibility.