What Do You Know About Portuguese Cinema?
I know enough to know that the best Portuguese film director celebrated his hundredth birthday four months ago by starting production on a new film. This cheers me – I’m 77. In 23 years I can start my masterpiece. Meanwhile (still with me?), keep in mind that, in a large sense, there is no such thing as “Portuguese” cinema.That’s not where the market is for Portuguese-langauge films. The market is in (Portuguese-speaking) Brazil.Portuguese film directors aim their products at the Brazilian audience, not at the tiny Portuguese audience.Brazilian profits fund Portuguese film-makers. Without Brazil, there would be no Portuguese-language films. I wonder if a Portuguese, reading this, would be offended. Let me know. Stop smoking, look both ways before crossing streets, dress warmly in the winter and come see me in 23 years.Cheers, G.A.
My experience of Portuguese cinema is unfortunately limited to only three directors, but I count all those 3 as very favorites of mine: Manoel de Oliveira, João César Monteiro and Pedro Costa. I’ve seen almost everything by Costa and Monteiro and, while I’ve seen about 20 films by de Oliveira, a lot are still missing, especially his work from the 70s. I know that the work of Costa is definitely on its way to North America on DVD, but I’m still clueless why so little or practically none of Monteiro and Oliveira’s work is available here. I believe I heard it is mainly due to copyright issue as Paulo Branco, the producer to most of the work of Monteiro and Oliveira, had to sell the rights of these films. So they are maybe now in the hands of people that have no intention to release them on DVD and that’s frustrating.
Is there any other Portuguese directors you’d personally recommend ? I’d really like to see more.
Gordon, I know nothing about Portuguese cinema, but this makes me sad. What films are Portuguese citizens watching? Why is there no Portuguese cinema except for in Brazil? Joana, great topic, do you have a different opinion? Can you recommend some Portuguese films or do you have some favorites?
Soybean. Tonight and every night, the Portuguese watch what the rest of the world watches – major U.S. chart-busters. You will find the same films playing in downtown Lisbon as in downtown Cleveland, downtown Osaka and downtown Helsinki, dubbed or with sub-titles. There surely are Portuguese films made by Portuguese directors, but very few. Those films are shown in Portugal, Brazil and a small, former Portuguese colony in Africa, the name of which escapes me. But the biggest audiences for those films are, I think you will find, in Brazil. That’s the major market for Portuguese-language films. Needless to say, Brazil has its own Portuguese-language film-makers – City of God is a Portuguese-language, Brazilian film. People who don’t know better ( we provincial, naieve Americans, notably) think Spanish is the language of Brazil. It’s not. The same can be said of films made in Spain – with one or two exceptions (Almodovar, above all, if I spell it correctly), no Spanish director could earn a living making films solely for the Spanish market,. They don’t, strictly speaking, make films for the Spanish market, they make films for the Spanish-speaking, Latin American market, which is infinitely greater than the Spanish market. Trust Joana on these topics rather than me. Her name suggests that she is either Brazilian or Portuguese. Take care.
Unfortunately, that’s true, but it happens all around the world. We are dominated by the Hollywood blockbusters, we all know that (or we should be aware of that), just a few non-North American film directors can escape and break the frontier or border imposed to us and get some type of recognition out of the walls of their “small” countries. But other factors contribute to this: economy, few investments in cinema, not being pure entertainment films and not aim for the big audiences, market issues, copyright issues, difficulties in promote and distribute world wide the films made, the risk of investing in different types of films that aren’t mainstream, language issues, lack of an open mentality or understanding, just simple lack of interest or for knowledge and so on. The good news is that projects like Criterion exists that open the possibilities to see and know the real cinema and the diversity of films made.
When I started this topic I was very curious to know what names of Portuguese directors would come up and usually they are the same: Manoel de Oliveira (mainly him), Pedro Costa and João César Monteiro.
Here are some of my personal picks for their artistic and/or entertainment values:
Favorite Portuguese Directors – Pedro Costa, João César Monteiro, Teresa Villaverde, Marco Martins and Manoel de Oliveira.
Favorite Portuguese Films:
MOVIES
Casa de Lava [Down to Earth], Pedro Costa
Juventude em Marcha [Colossal Youth], Pedro Costa
O Sangue [The Blood], Pedro Costa
No Quarto da Vanda [In Vanda’s Room], Pedro Costa
Ossos [Bones], Pedro Costa
The Trilogy: Recordações da Casa Amarela [Recollections of the Yellow House], A Comédia de Deus [God’s Comedy] and As Bodas de Deus, João César Monteiro
Branca de Neve [Snow White], João César Monteiro
Os Canibais [The Cannibals], Manoel de Oliveira
Amor de Perdição, Manoel de Oliveira
Vale Abrãao [Abraham´s Valley], Manoel de Oliveira
‘Non’, ou a Glória de Mandar [No, or the Vain Glory of Command], Manoel de Oliveira
A Raíz do Coração [The Heart’s Root], Paulo Rocha
Verdes Anos, Paulo Rocha
Mutantes [The Mutants], Teresa Villaverde
Transe [Trance], Teresa Villaverde
Alice, Marco Martins
Noite Escura [In the Darkness of the Night], João Canijo
Atrás da Nuvens [Behind the Clouds], Jorge Queiroga
A Costa dos Murmúrios [The Murmuring Coast], Margarida Cardoso
Dot.com, Luís Galvão Teles
Zona J, Leonel Vieira
Coisa Ruim [Bad Blood], Tiago Guedes and Frederico Serra
DOCUMENTARIES
Onde Jaz o teu Sorriso? [Danièle Huillet/Jean-Marie Straub, Filmmakers – Where lies your hidden smile?], Pedro Costa
Os Filhos do Tédio, Rita Alcaire and Rodrigo Fernandes
SHORT FILMS
Uma Noite ao Acaso [Night Story], Victor Candeias
Compramos e Vendemos Sentimentos [Emotions Market], Francisco Sousa and Vitor Pedrosa
Operário em Construção, Pedro Canotilho and Eduardo Nascimento
ANIMATED FILMS/SHORTS
História Trágica com um Final Feliz [Tragic Story with Happy Ending], Regina Pessoa
A Suspeita, José Miguel Ribeiro
Ossudo, Júlio Alves
História de um Caramelo, Pedro Teixeira
Os Salteadores, Abi Feijó
Jantar em Lisboa, André Carrilho
Joana – Are you professionally-involed in film, Portuguese or otherwise? You certainly do know your subect. Who’s the Portuguese director who celebrated his hundredth birthday couple of months ago? Thank you.
Gordon, it’s strange that you pose me that question considering that you surely already know the answer. But for those who don’t actually know it, the answer is Manoel de Oliveira – the oldest film director in the world with only hundredth years old and still in the active today.
And Gordon, in 23 years I’ll be 44 years old, so by then I’ll hope to see that masterpiece of yours in a cinema near me. Oh, and don’t you dare to die before that happens.
Take Care.
Joana – You didn’t answer “Part 1.” Are you professionally-involved in Portuguese film? Thank you.
Has anyone seen a Porugese film called Vidas Secas?
Gordon, I’m not involved professionally in any Portuguese film (maybe in the future, who knows), but I study cinema though and I’m Portuguese so that maybe gives me some advantage in knowing some of the film history and the cinema made in Portugal and also to have more easy access or to be able to see more Portuguese films.
Justin, I don’t know any Portuguese film called Vidas Secas, but I researched over the internet and found a Brazilian film (a Portuguese-speaking film) by that name from 1963 and directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos. I never saw it either. I don’t know if you are talking about this one, but do you recommended it?
Joana, that’s the one, I’ve never seen it, but Godard named it one of the ten best films of 1963. It’s on dvd so I thought I might check it out.
I’m very well versed in Costa, sporadically knowledgeable about Oliveira, sadly underschooled in Monteiro.
I’ve heard of Villaverde and Martins but haven’t seen any of their work.
Since I love some of the films she’s been in, I’ve always been curious to see Maria de Medeiros’s Capitães de Abril.
while I’ve never seen any of his films, it’s clear that Antonio Reis was a huge influence on Costa – his professor in film school, in fact. If I could see his work I can imagine it being important to me as well. [Eventually I will finish a collaborative translation I’m working on of an interview with Costa that appeared in a book on Reis].
Joana, thanks for starting this topic, Portuguese cinema is something I’m really interested in that isn’t talked about enough in English…
>Joana, that’s the one, I’ve never seen it, but Godard named it one of the ten best films of 1963. It’s on dvd so I thought I might check it out.
I mentioned Vidas Secas in the thread abut the New Waves as one of the greatest Brasilian movies ever.
Joana, as i’ve said elsewhere, Oliveira’s Abraham Valley changed my life, the first main stimulus to me upping sticks to try and live in North Portugal, which sadly went wrong but i will return to settle! Aniki Bobo is absolutely charming. I would love to see lots of Portuguese films, but availability is a problem. I like the start of Oliveira’s Journey to the Beginning of the World as it starts at my beloved Caminha. Monteiro’s Recollections of the Yellow House is quirky and surprisingly elegant at times. I’ve not seen a Pedro Costa film in full. I’m a fan of Amalia Rodrigues; good to see her in films like Fado, Historia de uma Cantadeira. She had a cameo role in Wenders’ Until the End of the World (WW seems to like Lisbon), which i saw before i was familiar with her. Brazilian Walter Salles’ Foreign Land is set mainly in Portugal, and is my favourite film by him. I’d like to see films by Villaverde and Maria de Medeiros (“pot belly” in Pulp Fiction, whom i’ve had a soft spot for, since she starred in Henry and June)
I wish Portuguse culture generally was more widely known and appreciated. My heart is Portuguese.
An earlier post indicated that Pedro Costa’s work would be coming to DVD soon. Does anyone know if this is true?
(some of) Costa’s work been unannounced-but-presumably-forthcoming for a while now from Criterion. I don’t know exactly what is/was slated for release from them, but when I saw Pedro in November he was here for Criterion business.
most ‘speculation’ from well-informed friends suggests that it’s likely a 3 film Costa set with Colossal Youth, No Quarto De Vanda and Ossos.
Well, Oliveira should be better represented on dvd. Maria de Medeiros’ Captains of April covers a subject that should be much more famous beyond Portugal- the Carnation revolution of 25 April 1974, which overthrew the dictatorship established by Salazar in the 20s; the army rebelled and with the support of the people (carrying carnations) managed a coup with hardly any bloodshed. Portugal then gave independence to its colonies and established democracy. A wonderful moment in 20th century history. Maria is in the film, and does a tidy job as director, nothing inspired, not bombastic either, a likeable presentation.
Dave -
Thanks for the info. It’s exciting and frustrating as now practically every other release announcement they make will disappoint me if Costa isn’t included. Except maybe for a Kiarostami Koker Trilogy or the complete works of Ken Russell:)
Unfortunately I don’t have nearly as much experience with Portuguese cinema as I do Portuguese literature.
The delightful Aniki Bobo (Oliveira)
Know nothin’ about Portuegese cinema but I saw: “How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman” and I thought it was damn close to a masterpiece. Absolutely great. It was Brazilian though. Made by Nelson Pereiro dos Santos.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066936/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Pereira_dos_SantosI just ordered No, or the Vain Glory of Command and can’t wait for it to show up. Anyone know if Inquietude or Doomed love are scheduled to come out on DVD anytime soon? Also, is Porto of My Childhood worthwhile?
Still waiting for that damned Fontainhas Trilogy…
No or the Vainglory of Command, a favourite of Claire Denis and also championed by critic Gilbert Adair (representing 1990) in Flickers, is an unusual film that covers several episodes of Portuguese history, including resistance in Angola and military defeats. The one medieval battle betrays some budget problems, while the voyage of discovery episode has a kitschy feel, that i think may be a comment on the romanticised myth-making round the subject. I found it a bit puzzling, may have misread it, as Oliveira can be elusive, encouraging a bit of thought. He’s an international humanist with wide-ranging cultural interests, who loves his homeland but certainly willing to examine its faults, opposed to colonialism and not one to stoop to the general cultural dumbing down, he has a light elegant touch. I was quite impressed with a review of his Filme Falado by Manohla Dargis
I was taken with O Patio das Cantigas (Ribeiro, 1942), very popular classic in Portugal recommended here; warm cheerful comedy centred on flats round a courtyard where various residents play music and sing, and there’s rivalry between the 2 main male characters.
p.s there’s an ongoing poll of Portuguese and Spanish films on another thread
Good overview of recent Portuguese cinema :
http://www.internationalfilmguide.com/p.aspx?t=wsurvey&let=P
Mike, let me then know what you thought about the movie because I would expect that for the movie to make sense one would need to be well versed in the portuguese “epopeia”. Essentially he covers portuguese victories and defeats throughout the ages.Everywhere else this would be a normal topic but in Portugal this issue takes an extra dimension due to the foundational myth of D. Sebastiao.
He was our child king that, lured by the idea of greater glory, tried to conquer north of africa and end up being killed in battle.That had a tremendous impact because he left no heir and so the spanish king claimed the throne and Portugal was indeed ruled by Spain for about 80 years. Historically, this is seen as the begin of the Portuguese decline. The myth is then that D. Sebastiao will come back (out of a fog mist, literally) and lead our nation to greater glories, higher achievements and redeem us from all our defeats. Pessoa himself took on this myth and, on a outstanding book “Mensagem”, declared that D . Sebastiao would come back and lead us on a 5th empire, where poetry and all forms of human genius will rule. As of now, we are still waiting.
If I remember well, the D. Sebastiao episode is covered by Oliveira. Later he made a movie about D. Sebastiao but i haven’t seen it yet.
I tried to find translations of poems in Mensagem to put them here but was unsuccessful…
Mike, let me then know what you thought about the movie because I would expect that for the movie to make sense one would need to be well versed in the portuguese “epopeia”. Essentially he covers portuguese victories and defeats throughout the ages.Everywhere else this would be a normal topic but in Portugal this issue takes an extra dimension due to the foundational myth of D. Sebastiao.
He was our child king that, lured by the idea of greater glory, tried to conquer north of africa and end up being killed in battle.That had a tremendous impact because he left no heir and so the spanish king claimed the throne and Portugal was indeed ruled by Spain for about 80 years. Historically, this is seen as the begin of the Portuguese decline. The myth is then that D. Sebastiao will come back (out of a fog mist, literally) and lead our nation to greater glories, higher achievements and redeem us from all our defeats. Pessoa himself took on this myth and, on a outstanding book “Mensagem”, declared that D . Sebastiao would come back and lead us on a 5th empire, where poetry and all forms of human genius will rule. As of now, we are still waiting.
If I remember well, the D. Sebastiao episode is covered by Oliveira. Later he made a movie about D. Sebastiao but i haven’t seen it yet.
I tried to find translations of poems in Mensagem to put them here but was unsuccessful…
Oliveira’s “O Quinto Império – Ontem Como Hoje” (“The Fifth Empire – Yesterday As Today”) is pretty spectacular. I wrote some historical context about the film here
The only Portugese films I were two Oliviera movies: ’I’m Going Home’ and ‘No’, which I liked and disliked, respectively. And one other film, called “Alice” about a father looking for his disappeared daughter, which was an interesting film.
Jo
I would like to know what thoughts or opinions you have about the Portuguese Cinema. What do you think about the cinema made in Portugal? What are your favorite portuguese films and directors? And if any of your favorites portuguese films/directors should be on Criterion?