‘O Ancoradouro do Tempo,’ directed by Sol de Carvalho, is an adaptation of the book ‘A Varanda de Frangipani’ by Mia Couto, and it debuts this week, marking the 50th anniversary of Mozambique’s independence.
The filmmaker expressed his desire to convey a message of integrity, coherence, and resilience, as the story investigates a crime related to the trafficking of albino organs.
“A kidney from an albino can cost $50,000 [approximately 43,000 euros]. Albinos in this eastern Africa region face two criminal threats: from healers and witch doctors using organs for ceremonies, and from international trafficking, a serious human trafficking problem in Africa,” he lamented.
This film, produced by Portugal, Mozambique, Germany, Angola, and Mauritius, was shot at the Fortaleza da Ilha de Moçambique with a cast solely of professional Mozambican actors.
Also premiering today is ‘A Vida Luminosa,’ the first feature film by João Rosas, continuing the story of Nicolau, a character from a short film trilogy made between 2012 and 2020 (‘Entrecampos,’ ‘Maria do Mar,’ and ‘Catavento’).
Nicolau, played by Francisco Melo, is a young man in Lisbon taking his first steps into adulthood, navigating temporary jobs, aspiring to be a musician, and recovering from heartache.
“What interested me in this film was the formation of identity, when we start to follow our own path, leave our parents’ home, start working, and cease to be just children. The film revolves around this dilemma,” João Rosas explained.
The shorts and this film constitute a tetralogy about growth and identity, depicting various stages of Nicolau’s development from childhood to adulthood.
‘A Vida Luminosa,’ produced by Midas Filmes, will compete in July at the Karlovy Vary festival in the Czech Republic.
‘Mississipis,’ a documentary by António-Pedro debuting today, chronicles the creative work of choreographer Filipa Francisco in the show ‘A Viagem,’ premiered in 2011, involving contemporary dancers and folk dance groups.
António-Pedro, a multidisciplinary artist, followed choreographer Filipa Francisco for a decade, documenting this community project as it evolved and was presented across the country.
António-Pedro, co-creator and soundtrack author of ‘A Viagem,’ describes the film as capturing an encounter.
“It is an encounter intensified by the need to create a professional show in a short time. An object belonging to both groups, creating, during a rare moment of suspension, a new ‘us,'” he stated in an intention note.
The film features participation from the Grupo Folclórico da Região de Arganil, Grupo Etnográfico do Orfeão do Porto, Grupo Folclórico e Etnográfico de Recardães (Águeda), and Rancho Folclórico da Torredeita (Viseu), among others.
‘Mississipis’ is a co-production of Terratreme Filmes and Companhia Caótica, co-founded by António-Pedro.
According to the latest figures from the Instituto do Cinema e Audiovisual in May, 23 Portuguese productions or co-productions premiered this year, attracting 48,449 viewers and generating approximately 228,000 euros in box office revenue. These figures represent a market share of 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively.
