A luxury resort project by a real estate fund on the island of Faro serves as the backdrop for the series “Faro,” set to air on RTP, announced producer Tino Navarro.
Directed by Joaquim Leitão, the series stars actors such as Adriano Luz, Sara Barradas, Miguel Borges, and Lourenço de Almeida. “Faro” is part of a series set in various district capitals and follows “Braga,” which aired about two years ago on RTP, Navarro explained.
The producer emphasized the importance of creating fiction series outside major production hubs like Lisbon, noting that the country is “underrepresented in cinema and audiovisual arts.” The creators aim to develop a series rooted in the present, pure fiction that could only unfold in that specific city.
“In the story of Faro, the initial conflict is a foreign real estate fund’s intent to purchase the entire island to build a luxury resort. However, resistance comes from an old fisherman who owns a beachside restaurant and refuses to sell,” he revealed.
Navarro added that the fund hires a respected local lawyer with a revolutionary past linked to the April 25th events, who had previously helped island residents legalize squatter settlements. His role is to “clear the final hurdles” for the land purchase.
“This lawyer is later found dead on a yacht, tied to the mast, wearing a sadomasochistic outfit. The police take over the case to investigate the murder,” Navarro stated, indicating multiple suspects and promising a revelation of who killed Abel Santos, played by Adriano Luz.
The actor expressed enthusiasm for joining the project, directed by Joaquim Leitão with whom he previously worked on the impactful project “Até Amanhã, Camaradas.”
“My character is a lawyer for a company aiming to build a resort on Faro island. However, being Abel from Faro, many islanders are his childhood friends, whom he initially tries to convince to sell. One, Zé Maria, portrayed by Miguel Borges, is particularly resistant. This forms the first part of the character’s development,” Adriano Luz described.
The script contains “multiple layers,” including a tumultuous relationship between the lawyer and his son, who becomes involved with Sara Barradas’ character, the actress revealed.
Sara Barradas noted that the series highlights “current issues” such as “easy money” versus “environmental preservation.” Her character plays a crucial role in this dynamic by returning from Switzerland to help her father resist the development.
Asked about her experience filming in Faro for about two months, Sara Barradas described it as “very positive,” citing the opportunity to create a series for RTP while collaborating with director Joaquim Leitão and producer Tino Navarro.
“It was wonderful. It was great to work again with Miguel Borges, who played my father 20 years ago in Tiago Guedes’ film ‘Coisa Ruim’ and reprises the role two decades later,” she remarked, praising her colleague’s humanity and performance.
Following today’s premiere, “Faro” will have another pre-release screening in the Algarve city on June 13, with the series airing on RTP1 starting June 16, according to the producer.
