She raised her daughter, Joana (Clarissa Pinheiro) on her own and now, in turn, Joana is also a mother and working hard, with little time for Tereza.
The Brazilian government is at pains to point out that it wants to recognise the contributions of older members of society.
In truth, though, that hardly camouflages the real intention of the establishment to focus on the younger generation and ringbark the oldies.
The initial edict from the government was that all 80-year-olds must move to a place called The Colony, where the promise is that they will be looked after.
To that end, the police, other authorities and businesses are checking personal documentation to ensure that the new, reduced age mandate is complied with.
But when that doesn’t work out as she intended, she pays for an illegal charter boat to take her up the Amazon.
Tereza displays remarkable fortitude and determination to outwit anybody who stands in her way.
In tackling a late in life “coming of age” drama, he also wanted to signal that it is never too late to find new meaning in life.
The movie counterpoints the natural beauty of the Amazon (there is some stunning cinematography from Guillermo Garza) with the wickedness of a corrupt government.
The film also depicts the abuse of the environment.
Denise Weinberg is unforgettable as a pragmatic, capable and defiant older person with a lot of life left to live.
Miriam Socorrás is compelling as a free-spirited river “nun”, who hardly does things by the book.
Rated M, The Blue Trail is an intriguing watch, with a number of magical moments, and scores a 7½ out of 10.