Portuguese co-productions and shorts head to Locarno
by Vitor Pinto
- A Paulo Branco French-Portuguese co-production, Cosmos by Andrzej Zulawski, is vying for the Golden Leopard
In recent years, Locarno has been a launch pad for films by some of Portugal’s most renowned indie directors, including João Pedro Rodrigues, Joaquim Pinto and Pedro Costa. At the upcoming 68th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, there are no feature-length titles by Portuguese directors in the main sections, but the Portuguese presence is still felt in several feature co-productions and short films.
The international section includes Cosmos [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Victória Guerra
film profile] by Polish director Andrzej Żuławski, which was produced by Paulo Branco via his Parisian outfit Alfama Films, partially shot in Sintra (Portugal) and co-produced by Leopardo Filmes. Meanwhile, the Cineasti del Presente section will feature Olmo & the Seagull [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - a docudrama by directors Petra Costa from Brazil and Lea Glob from Denmark that was co-produced by Lisbon-based outfit O Som e a Fúria (Arabian Nights [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Miguel Gomes
film profile]).
The Pardi di Domani section will screen Maria do Mar by João Rosas – recently awarded at the Curtas Vila do Conde and produced by O Som e a Fúria and Terratreme Film – along with O Que Resta by Polish director Jola Wieczorek, which was shot in Portugal with a local crew.
Finally, three other titles also produced by Curtas Vila do Conde will make it to Locarno outside of the competition: A Glória de Fazer Cinema em Portugal by Manuel Mozos, Undisclosed Recipients by Sandro Aguilar and Noite sem Distância by Spanish director Lois Patiño.
The Locarno Film Festival unfolds between 5 and 15 August.
