"Armour" at Cinéma du Réel
“Armour” by Sandro Aguilar was selected for the International Competition of the 43rd edition of Cinéma du Réel.
This work, produced by
O Som e a Fúria e
Paraloeil (Canada), and distributed by
Agência - Portuguese Short Film Agency began its international journey in festivals such as Rencontres Internationales Du Documentaire de Montréal (Canada) and the Rotterdam International Film Festival (Netherlands), having been also presented in Portugal in the latest edition of Curtas Vila do Conde. It is now present at Cinéma du Réel, one of the most important film festivals in Europe dedicated to the documentary genre, but which presents a transversal program for all genres, reflecting the diversity of styles and artistic approaches to the world through moving images .
The festival is organized by Bibliothèque Publique d'Information, in partnership with the association Les Amis du Cinéma du réel, and consists of a selection of documentary, experimental and essays, thus reflecting this diversity of genres and cinematic approaches. At Cinéma du Réel, the discovery of new talents is combined with the exhibition of works by big names in cinema.
The international competition will present 11 feature films and 10 short films.
"A Present Light" at Berlinale
“A Present Light”, by Diogo Costa Amarante, was selected for the Berlinale Shorts section of the 71st edition of Berlin International Film Festival.
“
A Present Light”, the most recent film by
Diogo Costa Amarante, was selected for the Berlinale Shorts section of the 71st edition of
Berlin International Film Festival, which will be launched with an industry event, in online format, and presented only to film professionals and press, from March 1st to 5th and, in person, for the general public, between June 9th and 20th, 2021.
The film, which will have its world premiere in Berlin, focuses on the heartbreak of Gonçalo, a man who, on a rainy night, leaves home to deliver a letter to someone who abandoned him. Along the way, on a corner, he crosses a woman who warns him to pay attention to the road, that the floor is slippery. The man falls off his motorcycle and thus meets Diana.
"A Present Light" is cinematographed by Jorge Quintela and features Diana Neves Silva, João Castro, Gustavo Sumpta and Luís Miguel Cintra, being promoted and distributed by
Agência - Portuguese Short Film Agency.
Diogo Costa Amarante returns to the Berlinale, where his previous work, “Small Town” (2016), a film about the awareness of death by a child, played by the director's nephew, was awarded with the Golden Bear for Best International Short Film.
The Berlinale is one of the most prestigious international film festivals. Created in 1951, it was shaped by the post-war period and the division of the city of Berlin, developing as an intercultural platform for the cinematic exploration of social themes. In addition to being one of the most political festivals on the international scene, the Berlin International Film Festival is also, in its plurality, a space for convergence between the great film stars, formal experimentation and the discovery of new talents.
This edition will take place online, with the European Film Market & Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents and World Cinema Fund, from March 1st to 5th; and with with cinema and outdoor exhibitions, between 9th - 20th June 2021.
"Anyhow, Anyway" at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival
"Anyhow, Anyway" directed by Catarina Romano is selected for the International Competition in Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
"Anyhow, Anyway" is about a woman who is confined to her home. She is unemployed, as if exiled from the opportunities of her time. She goes through cycles of precarity, ever faster, ever closer, encapsulating her like the ripple of a stone in a waterhole. Waves come to meet her, repeating themselves, besieging her.
Clermont-Ferrand is one of the most important festivals in Europe, dedicated to short films. With regard to the presence of professionals in the field, it is the second largest festival in France, preceded only by Cannes Film Festival. In the last edition, more than 172,500 entries were registered and 3600 professionals participated in the festival.
According to the festival organization, in the present edition, there were almost 7000 short film submissions and only 77 were selected. "Anyhow, Anyway" is the only Portuguese film in the International Competition.
"Name Above Title" at the Sevilla Festival
"Name Above Title", the most recent film by Carlos Conceição, was selected for the competitive section "Permanent Revolutions" at the 17th edition of the Sevilla Festival, to be held from 6-14th November.
After premiering at the
28th edition of Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival, "
Name Above Title" has its international premiere at
Sevilla Festival.
With an original title inspired by the gialli - a sub-genre of Italian horror very popular in the 70's - the satire follows Candice, a Candide a cold and seductive serial killer that falls in love with a girl who just committed suicide. The film shows little more than 24 hours in the life of the protagonist whose peaceful life is transformed by an accident that turns him into an instant social network star.
Written and directed by
Carlos Conceição, "Name Above Title" fits into the visual and narrative universe created by the filmmaker, in which symbolic fetishism and sadism stand out as well as the lugubrious ambiences and the subversive surrealist tone.
"In our times, videos shared on social media often present themselves as unquestionable truths, but it's very frequent that another perspective, showing one or two seconds more, radically changes the narrative." - says Carlos Conceição - "As citizens/spectators, we are permanently invited to do the editing and re-learn the world that way".
Carlos Conceição is a regular presence at Vila do Conde – where he has been an author In Focus (2019), a member of the Take One! competition jury (2014), and premiered several of his works, such as
“Serpentarius” (2019) and
“Bad Bunny” (2017)
"Our Kingdom" at the Torino Film Festival
"Our Kingdom", Luis Costa's latest short film, will have its italian premiere at the 38th edition of the Torino Film Festival to be held from November 20-28, in Turin.
"Creating a film from a previous work always presupposes a natural challenge to manage the reference and the distance from it". - explains Luís Costa - "Even though it does not formally follow the narrative structure of Valter's book, "Our Kingdom" tries to compose a kind of visual poem that carries the weight of the literary work, working the idea of a suspended time and space through the characters and the universe that surrounds them".
“Our Kingdom” marked the return of Luís Costa to Curtas Vila do Conde, where he previously presented “The Everlasting Man” (2017, National Competition), “Fontelonga” (2013, Take One!), and the Super8 music video “Bearbug” (2017, codirected by Miguel da Santa).
The
Torino Film Festival was established in 1982 by Professor Gianni Rondolino and has, since, occupied a fundamental place in the international panorama, promoting new ways of making Cinema. Throughout its history, the festival has celebrated emergent talents such as Luca Guadagnino, Nicholas Winding Refn, Miguel Gomes, and many others. In its 38th edition, the festival will take place online.
"Uncle Thomas, Accounting for the days" EFA finalist
"Uncle Thomas, Accounting for the days", Regina Pessoa's latest film is one of the five nominees in the category of Best European Short Film at the 33rd edition of the European Film Academy (EFA) Awards.
"Uncle Thomas, Accounting for the days" is being promoted and distributed by the Short Film Agency, with a co-production between the Portuguese Ciclope Filmes, the Canadian ONF / NFB and the French Les Amateurs, which also had an important role in the production of Phil Davies. The film is a touching tribute to an everyday poet and a testament to the director's love for her eccentric uncle. The 13-minute film combines various animation techniques such as stop-motion and digital animated engraving. "That means a lot to me, coming from a dysfunctional family in a lost village in a small country like ours." - says Regina Pessoa. "It has been a long and arduous journey since I started drawing as a child and I thank all those who helped me on this path, both professionally and personally. Above all, I dedicate all my love and thanks to my uncle Tomás, who this film is dedicated to, a humble and somewhat eccentric man who has lived a simple and anonymous life. It is not necessary to be a famous person to become important in our lives."
Candidates for the EFA award in the short film category are selected in partnership with 24 European film festivals, with Curtas Vila do Conde being the network's Portuguese event. In each festival, the jury chooses the best European short film in competition, with “Uncle Thomas, Accounting for the days" getting its nomination at the Riga International Film Festival, in Latvia. This nomination marks the first trip to the European Film Academy Awards for Regina Pessoa, renowned director of "The Night" (1999), "Tragic Story with Happy Ending" (2005), and "Kali, the little vampire" (2012).
The winners will be revealed during the EFA virtual ceremony at 7 pm on 10 December, after voting for the 3800 members of the academy.
