La cage dorée

I saw this lovely comedy about Portuguese immigrants to France and their identity issues at a showing that also featured an interview session with director Ruben Alves. Alves himself was born in Paris to Portuguese parents and with this film tried to aid people like himself in finding a place for themselves and better understanding their identity.

It is about José and Maria, a hard-working couple that never complains and both have made themselves valuable to their employers. So much so that they profit off them and trample all over them in the process. When José's brother, who he has not spoken to in 30 years, passes away he leaves the family house and wine business to José under the condition that they will keep the business going.

They are reluctant to tell anybody about it before they have really made up their minds about actually going. But then Maria's pushy sister finds out and word spreads like fire. Suddenly, their employees offer them benefits and tell them how important and irreplaceable they are. What complicates matters more is that José and Maria have two children that were born in France and have reservations about leaving.

Many funny and sentimental situations spawn from this set-up. Really charming.

8/10

Tabu

Tabu is a feature film by Miguel Gomes, whom we saw speaking together with Manuel Mozos at the Viennale, right after we watched a sad documentary about Portuguese film. Gomes is one of the very few 'younger' Portuguese directors that are able to actually make films.

In the media, this film has been described as 'magical' and/or 'breathtaking'. It mostly is.

Shot in (cheaper?) black and white and rather heavy on voice overs, which I am usually not a fan of, it is split into two main parts. Actually, the beginning is about a man, who - heartbroken after his wife's death - goes into the African wild and throws himself into a crocodile-infested pond. The connection to the actual film is not quite clear. Who is the man? Details that come up again later are Africa and - more specifically - the crocodile.

The first part takes part in present day Portugal. It centers around three women. Pilar, who lives alone and cares for other people more than herself or her lovelife. An elderly painter makes quiet advances, but to no avail. One of the people she is most worried about is her elderly next door neighbor, Aurora, who lives with her cook/cleaning woman/nurse Santa. Aurora's health and mind deteriorates until she starts talking about one Mr. Ventura. Pilar tries to find this man and bring him to the now hospitalized Aurora. They do not make it in time. After Aurora's burial, Venture starts telling his and Aurora's story.

This leads into the second part of the film, set in Africa a few decades before, where young Aurora is married to a wealthy man when she meets and falls in love with Ventura. They fall in love and have a very passionate affair, that could only end sadly, of course. The crocodile in the story is a pet Aurora received from her husband. The animals frequently escapes and wanders over to Ventura's house, which frequently puts him in Aurora's company. Sort of a match maker.

I absolutely loved the first part and the relationship of the three women. The second part seemed to drag on a bit. Overall the film actually has its magical moments and is well worth watching. I fear, however, that it will remain obscure and widely ignored, a destiny shared by many a small gem.

8/10

Cinema Português?

Cinema Português? is a documentary on the first 100 years of Portuguese film and the lack of a Portuguese film industry. The questionmark in the title is there for a reason.

The documentary is just under one hour long and features intercut scenes from various movies and parts of an interview director Manuel Mozos (pictured below) conducted with one João Bénard da Costa, not only an actor but a professor, historian and author.

I saw the film during the annual local film festival Viennale and after the screening there was a Q&A session with Mr. Mozos and film director Miguel Gomes, whose latest work Tabu also screened at the festival.

The stories they told of life as someone working in film in Portugal were sad ones. After 100 years, less than 500 Portuguese film had been made. There is simply no money.

In fact, not a single film is being produced in Portugal this year. Not a one.

6/10