Sofia?

She does not want to commit, she is unsure of whether this is just sexual gratification or a real relationship, she is suspicious of the returned stereo, and disappears completely once she has seen what has happened to this family, and where its wealth has derived from.

Well, I think Sofia leaving may have been due to two facts: 1) Sofia is said to have in her car a few books that were stolen (I can't remember how many books she said), suggesting that she is somewhat of an intelligent person. It's very much probable that having read a bit, she knew about "Casa Grande & Senzala" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa-Grande_%26_Senzala) and realized that João's family is just like slave owners' families that existed in Brazil. So, perhaps, due to this association she broke up with João. This may seem a little bit off because when she asks João if he is rich and he confirms, she jokes that they should marry, but that may be just another critique to pseudo-intellectuals to whom money says more than moral (there are quite a few in Brazil).
2) Sofia and João's relationship may represent how a lot of middle class persons perceived relationships, as just a meaningless and transient way of getting pleasure out of another person. This could also be seen as a way of contrasting old people's values to modern values, as when in Francisco's farm, he - representing old values - keeps asking question about marriage to João and Sofia, whereas they keep trying to avoid those questions.
However, I do not think this "broking up" has any sort of meaning related to the Brazilian society as a whole, as there are many different groups in Brazilian society that behave very differently to each other; it may be a critique to middle class (another one), or Sofia's rejection of João's family and its past.

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I don't know much about Brazilian society, but I feel pretty sure the character Sofia represents the conscience of the film. There are two scenes impressed me the most, one is Sofia being lifted up to reach the stars on the ceiling, the other is Sofia looking up in the slave house while the old master stepping on the floor above them. I think symbolically speaking, that is enough said already. The break-up scene would be a redundant and trivia event, since it turns out the love story is really not about romance, it is about presenting history and providing a point of view.

Anyway, I don't feel such a twist really strange, the end is also perfectly fine for me, it is a very simple, straightforward, definitive and almost boilerplate finish. The last shot is an echo of the beginning, the whole film could be read as one specific moment of the ever lasting history, you can never separate the present from the past. And the past will always be the permanent element of a society, just like the stars on the ceiling, they may be covered up or whitewashed, but they are still there. No doubt the past is one big theme of this film and also the most possible reason Sofia broke up with that dude.

One wild observation I'd make as a middle-class Brazilian is there's a lot of financial insecurity for young people at this layer and age, impacting romantic life and family.

The average salary goes all in food, transportation, clothes, most people can't afford a good house so they stay with the family, the alternative being a much worse neighborhood with all it's risks.

In real life, Sofia's car would probably be her parent's, she uses it for college and work, she'd do her boyfriend then come back to parent's home, it's a complicated situation.

Brazil accepts divorce better than any other country in the world. That's a fact.

To me she seemed like a "fraidy cat" from the get-go. Like the cat that runs and hides behind the couch whenever someone enters the room – deeply suspicious and scowling and hiding behind closed arms, ideas, and a frown. (Wait, wasn't there a cat in a cage at one point? Did they give me that idea?)

Anyway, I didn't like her.

"She's pretty but has a sad face" – the family maid nailed it perfectly - honestly. The maid being perhaps the most (only?) really likable character in the movie.

To me the breakup only existed within the very brief moment of him explaining it. Something like simply, "we had different stories to live." It was perfect. The big city. So, ultimately, their "breakup" was all about showing how mature and thoughtful HE was, accepting his fate with dignity and some class. That was for me one of the most subtle and beautiful moments of the movie.

But everything to do with him seemed a bit too well scripted, like daydreams of your own illustrious compassionate grandeur. I suspect the writer/director did a bit of a "selfie" with that character. I'd bet he even looks like him, but IMDb doesn't currently have a photo.

Come to think of it, the writer/director doesn't seem to enjoy women all that much. Or at least isn't very compassionate in representing them here.

Just off-the-cuff thoughts. Red, you've been around since 1999, so you've probably seen it all. : )

A beautiful and subtle movie though. Soooo amazing and refreshing to NOT have too-much-much overly drawn characterizations and plot points. There was a LOT of suspense going on, with potential danger around every corner. Very well done. Really captures the tension of living in a dangerous state without exploiting it by showing all the violence, it seems to me. I've only been to Brazil once, for about a week. (F1 weekend.)

Love that ending music too. Perfectly unique, and thus matching well to a very unique artistic film.

What about the idea that Sofia is a member of the guards who are out on revenge ? Some kind of scout to explore the location, the family, the background ? Have we got the right family/man ? Having the CD-player stolen is just a ploy to make security even more urgent (and that is why she gets the wrong one back, because her accomplices have it). She disappears as soon as the identity of the victims (?) is confirmed after her visit to the mill. Just my five cents.

Nali:*

My list: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls053994183/?start=1&view=grid&sort=created:desc&defaults=1&lists