Blood of My Blood to represent Portugal at the Oscars

by Vitor Pinto

17/09/2012 - João Canijo's Blood of My Blood has been chosen the represent Portugal in the race for an Oscar for best film in a foreign language, as announced last Friday by the Portuguese Film Academy. The news went almost unnoticed at a time when anger against the latest austerity measures announced by the Portuguese prime minister, Passos Coelho, sparked protests in over 30 towns across the country. With unemployment unusually high and black prospects for 2013, culture is not a popular topic right now in the Portuguese media or on the streets.

Blood of My Blood was chosen by a jury made up of producer Paulo Trancoso, actors Virgílio Castelo and Susana Borges, directors José Carlos Oliveira and Luis Galvão Teles, and film critic Lauro António.

The film was released last October, after its international premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival. It received great praise and was the most popular Portuguese film at the box office for 2011. According to the Portuguese Film and Audiovisual Institute's figures, the film was seen by about 22,000 people and made about €100,000 in Portugal.

Oscar nominations will be announced on January 10, 2013, and the industry's most famous awards ceremony will be held on February 24. No Portuguese film has ever won the much sought-after statuette.

(Translated from Spanish)