Portuguese director Rui Simões premieres the film “Primeira Obra”, his first feature-length fiction film in 50 years of career and 80 years of life.
“Primeira Obra” is a fiction film, but it is also autobiographical, taking as its starting point one of Rui Simões’ first documentaries, “Bom Povo Português”, from 1980.
In the film, Michel, a young researcher of Portuguese descent, arrives in Portugal to “research the unfulfilled revolution. […] In conversation with Simão, a historic filmmaker, Michel seeks answers for his film. When he meets Susy, an environmental activist, he realizes that love is the way”, says the synopsis.
The cast includes Zé Bernardino, Ulé Baldé, Joana Brandão, Maty Galey, among others, as well as actor António Fonseca, in an ‘alter ego’ of Rui Simões himself.
The author of documentaries such as “Deus, Pátria, Autoridade” (1975), “Bom povo português” (1980), “Ruas da amargura” (2008), “Ilha da Cova da Moura” (2010), “Guerra ou Paz” (2012) and “No país de Alice” (2021), Rui Simões only managed to get funding for a fiction film in 2020 and is now releasing it in cinemas.
Today also sees the release of “Amo-te Imenso”, by Brazilian director Hermano Moreira, in a co-production with Portugal, where the film was shot.
According to the synopsis, the story follows Fábio, “a reserved Brazilian who escapes all stereotypes and decides to spend a semester in romantic and multicultural Lisbon”, where he will fall in love with Maria, not without first having to resolve some “secrets from the past”.
The cast includes Guilherme Gorski, Filipa Pinto, Júlia Palha, Sónia Balacó and Rafael Canedo.
While “Amo-te Imenso” premieres, Hermano Moreira also has a new project in the works, “Hotel Amor”, also starring Júlia Palha, Margarida Corceiro, Lucas Dutra, among others.
