27/10/2005

Three of the six titles opening this Thursday in Portuguese theatres are European films, competing in the box office against two American feature films (The Legend of Zorro and Lord of War) and one American-Canadian documentary (Grizzly Man).

LNK releases Yvan Attal's Ils se Marièrent et Eurent Beaucoup d'Enfants in three theatres in Lisbon and Porto, while the adventures of Wallace and Gromit [+see also:
trailer
film profile] finally arrive on national screens, distributed by Lusomundo in 46 theatres. Lusomundo is also responsible for the distribution of the Portuguese title The Crime of Father Amaro (o.t. O crime do padre Amaro), a SIC and Utopia Filmes, a co-production directed by Carlos Coelho da Silva. Announced as an "openly commercial project", the film adapts Eça de Queirós 19th century homonymous novel to the reality of the 21st century. The book has already inspired other contemporary adaptation by Mexican director Carlos Carrera starring Gael Garcia Bernal.

In the 2005 Portuguese version, Amaro is leaves the seminary to go to Lisbon to replace a priest from a neighbourhood where gangs are breaking the laws. Lodged by Joaneira - a woman as devoted to God as to a priest, who is Amaro's former teacher – Amaro gets involved with his landlady's daughter, Amélia. Their liaison will turn to tragedy, and reveal the dark side of religious men denying chastity. The main concern about the film is to find out if it can retain the same satiric atmosphere of the novel, which combines the feelings of guilt and sin with very ironic views on the Catholic characters. Starring Jorge Corrula, Soraia Chaves and Nicolau Breyner, the films opens in 25 theatres, before a longer version – in 4 chapters – reaches the small screens of the private broadcaster and co-produced SIC.