The Locarno Film Festival, which kicks off this Wednesday in Switzerland, will feature “Nação Valente”, by Carlos Conceição, by Carlos Conceição, in official competition, and four other Portuguese production or co-production films, most out of competition.
“Brave Nation”second feature film by the Portuguese-Angolan director Carlos Conceição, about the end of Portuguese colonialism and the traumas of the post-colonial war, will be in the official competition for the Golden Leopard of the 75th edition of the festival.
Out of competition, two documentaries will be premiered: “Where is this street? Or without before or after”of João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui Guerra da Mata, and “Light Objects”by Acácio de Almeida, by Marie Carré.
Premiere in theaters “A Nossa Terra, O Nosso Altar” about the end of Bairro do Aleixo
“Where is this street? Ou Sem antes nor antes” was filmed between 2019 and 2021 and reveals the same locations, the same shots, the same camera movements as in the 1963 film “Os Verdes Anos”, by Paulo Rocha, but without the narrative, without the cast, without the dialogues and with a new look at the urban visual landscape of Lisbon and some interior spaces.
The documentary will premiere in Locarno almost 60 years after Paulo Rocha premiered “Os Verdes Anos” there, starring Isabel Ruth and Rui Gomes, and considered one of the founding films of the Portuguese Cinema Novo.
“Objects of Light”, produced by Bando à Parte, is a visual reflection on the importance of light in cinematographic creation, from the point of view of Acácio de Almeida, 84, one of the most important cinematographers in the world. Portuguese cinema, who signed the first feature film here.
Film “The Bride” by Sérgio Tréfaut selected for the Venice Film Festival
In the competitive program “Pardi di domani” at Locarno, for short and medium-length films, is the animated film “L’ombre des papillons”by Moroccan director Sofia El Khyari, co-produced by France, Qatar, Morocco and Portugal, by Cola Animation.
“Day of despair” (1992), movie Manuel de Oliveira about the last days of the life of the writer Camilo Castelo Branco, will be screened at Locarno in the “History(s) of cinema” section.
Of the Locarno selection, we also highlight the debut of “Our Lady of the Chinese Store”by Ery Claver, an Angolan production by the independent film collective Geração 80.
In the program “Match Me!”, dedicated to professionals in the sector, The Portuguese producers Mafalda Rebelo will be (Cimbalino Films), Daniel Pereira (The stone and the plot) and justin loveim (Promenade Filmes), which participated in meetings with potential co-producers, sales agents and distributors.
The Locarno Film Festival will end on August 13.
Source: Observadora
