06/06/2005

Last Friday 3rd of June, Jacques Chirac distinguished Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira as a Commentator of the Legion of Honour. During the ceremony, held in the Elysée Palace, the French President highlighted the "special links between France and the director" – Oliveira worked several times with French actors such as Catherine Deneuve and Michel Piccoli – and praised the 96 year old director's "creativity, freedom and outstanding energy".

"Thrilled", Manoel de Oliveira shared the recognition with his collaborators: "It is a great honour not only for me but for all my collaborators, especially the actors." Oliveira also underlined the importance of France in his career, where, unlike in his home country, his films won praise from the critics.

Born in Porto in 1908, Manoel de Olivera is the oldest world filmmaker still active with an average of one film per year. Actor wannabe, Oliveira ended up behind the cameras. He made his first short film at the age of 22 Douro – Faina Fluvial, which was badly received by the audience at its premiere. The same happened with his first feature Aniki Bobó (1942), considered later as his best work by the public.
The dictatorial years were not easy for Oliveira. In 1963, his film Acto de Primavera was honoured at the Siena Film Festival, but the director was arrested by the regime’s police when the film premiered in Lisbon. From the 80's onwards, his international recognition grew and his films were regularly selected for the main international Film Festivals. Non ou a vã Glória de Mandar gained a jury special mention in Cannes 1990 and, in 2004, the Venice Film Festival awarded him the Golden Lion for his life’s work.
Oliveira began a seminal collaboration with Paulo Branco, who produced several films, including Je Rentre à la Maison (Cannes 2001) and The Fifth Empire.
Oliveira is currently working on his new film, Espelho Mágico, based on Agustina Bessa-Luís' novel A Alma dos Ricos.