Various cultures treat their elderly differently. Some move their parents in with their children once they can no longer care for themselves. Others expect to hire home care or move seniors to a facility where strangers can care for them. Some believe they should be inherently respected and listened to due to their advanced life experience. Others feel their views are outdated and they should be more open to modern ways of thinking. In The Blue Trail , a society confuses care with control as it enacts new laws that are supposedly there to protect the elderly.

Tereza (Denise Weinberg) works at an alligator processing plant in Brazil. She has friends inside and outside of work, though she sees little of her busy daughter. At 77, she is still very independent and capable of caring for herself. However, the government accounts for none of this when it begins to project its definition of the elderly onto people like Tereza.

It begins innocently with futile decorations and a medal for reaching her advanced age. Then, Tereza learns she no longer has any rights. Until she goes to the colony for elderly people, her daughter must approve all her major decisions. But Tereza refuses to give up her agency and submit to these arbitrary rules.

The government imposes a strange, involuntary infantilism on our main character and the rest of the elderly in the film. After a certain age, officials now assume older people can no longer live independently or care for themselves. They disguise their new laws as concern, projecting the idea that after so many years of contributing to the country, they’ve earned a rest”¦ whether they want it or not. Now someone will make decisions for you so you don’t have to worry about anything. But in actuality, it’s a rejection of their autonomy. This becomes obvious when government employees Tereza encounters treat her like an invalid even though she’s still completely competent — a fact she eventually uses to her advantage.

After all, if they’re forcing Tereza to regress, why not choose to be a rebellious teenager instead? Her wish before going to the colony is to fly — anywhere. However, the new regulations make this nearly impossible. So, she runs away.

Tereza hitches a ride on a river boat with a man ( Rodrigo Santoro ) willing to take risks for money. They get off to a rocky start, but eventually form a fleeting friendship. He also introduces her to the blue drool snail, which supposedly has magic, a.k.a. hallucinogenic, properties. Next up is a grounded ultralight pilot (Adanilo), who only seems to provide empty promises about taking her up in the air.

Eventually, Tereza finds a true companion in Roberta (Miriam Socarrás), who goes port to port selling digital Bibles. They are both so lively together, it’s a match audiences can easily embrace and connect with. They immediately appear as lifelong friends, though they’ve only just met. There’s an understanding between them that neither has found elsewhere.

The government’s attempts to manage the elderly are absurd, but also frightening. No one knows what old age holds, but there’s an assumption that you’ll be able to make some decisions yourself — particularly whether you require an adult diaper. Audiences watch as other seniors are hopelessly guided through the process, having lost any spark of life along the way. Tereza, on the other hand, is a burning fire that won’t be contained.

Weinberg delivers an inspiring performance. Viewers will immediately gravitate to her character and support her every attempt to challenge or defy the system. The personalities she meets during her journey are unique and feel like the encounters one might have during a road trip. Each one contributes something to the narrative, as do the actors behind them, though the glorified mechanic is the least memorable even if he gives Tereza life-changing advice.

The unconventional road trip movie is also a stimulating examination of how society treats the elderly. It’s an encouraging reminder that age doesn’t dictate how anyone should live their life.

The Blue Trail screened as part of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Head here to get all our That Shelf TIFF coverage .