28/07/2005

It is now official that João Botelho's O Fatalista and Manoel de Oliveira's Espelho Mágico by Manoel de Oliveira will represent Portugal in the forthcoming Venice Fillm Festival (31st of August - 10th of September). O Fatalista marks the return of Botelho, whose previous film The woman who believed she was president of the United States opened the Cannes Directors' Fortnight sidebar section in 2003.Espelho Mágico is the latest project by the oldest active director in the world. Oliveira is back at Venice, after the Golden Lion received last year as recognition of his entire career.

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João Botelho freely adaptated Denis Diderot's "Jacques, Le Fataliste": "novel or anti-novel, philosophical essay or poem in prose, it makes no difference to me. I only care about the revolutionary invention of so many narrative processes which suits the kind of cinema I love", stated the director in his notes of intention. Following the trip of a man and his driver Tiago through the bizarre Portuguese country, Botelho's new film combines various narratives with several adventures where sex, power and religion are the dominant tones. Starring Rogério Samora, André Gomes, Rita Blanco, Suzana Borges and José Wallenstein, O Fatalista was produced by Paulo Branco's production companies Madragoa Filmes in Portugal and Gémini Films in France with the support of ICAM and the national state channel RTP.This is the fifth time João Botelho presents a film in Venice, following Tempos Difíceis (1988), Aqui na terra (1993), Tráfico (1998) and Quem és tu (2001).

Oliveira himself is also a Mostra regular. After the rupture with his long-time producer Paulo Branco, Oliveira presents this year another adaptation from a novel by Agostina Bessa Luís ("A Alma dos Ricos"). The casting of Espelho Mágico includes some of the actors who usually work with the filmmaker (Leonor Silveira, Ricardo Trepa, Luís Miguel Cintra) and also special appearances by French actor Michel Piccoli, Spanish actress Marisa Paredes and Brasilian star Lima Duarte. The 26th feature film in Oliveira's career was produced by Filbox Produções, with the support of ICAM and RTP.