01/07/2024 - Ico Costa’s beautiful yet heartbreaking film follows two people as one beating heart, as a flash of light in the midst of the darkness

Domingos Marengula and Neusia Emídio Guiamba in Gold Songs

Gold Songs, Ico Costa’s latest feature, which won the Max Award for Best Portuguese Feature Film at IndieLisboa (see the news) and was just part of FIDMarseille’s International Competition, has two characters at its core: Domingos (Domingos Marengula) and Neusia (Neusia Emídio Guiamba), young people living in a small town in Mozambique. We get acquainted with them right from the start, as we gaze at them lying in bed, talking to each other about general trifling matters while softly embracing and caressing each other. They are two people as one beating heart, as a flash of light in the midst of the darkness. A natural connection exudes from a simple moment of intimacy: one of those that could make the world stop spinning and freeze. It sets the tone for the connection they (may) have, yet this is not just a love story.

As the world keeps turning, people have to keep moving. Gold Songs follows the movements made by these characters, as they physically drift apart in order to forge a better life for themselves as well as their future and present families. Neusia, a student, stays put; Domingos, on the other hand, goes further north. From an unpaid job at a car wash in his home town, we see him moving to an area of gold mining. He’s lured in by the promise of better pay (or even just actual payment), even if he’s aware of the dangers and demands of this mining work. As his expectations are far from being met, and as hardships and tragedy become part of reality, Domingos keeps moving and ends up working in transportation in Maputo. With no intention of moving back to where he started, we see him on his own quest to keep going.

The aspect of motion is crucial to both their lives and the film. Time and time again, the camera assumes a position of attentively following steps, observing but also participating in the path that is being taken – in particular when it comes to Domingos and those around him. In the walking and talking, we find many of the elements that transform this movie into a thorough socio-economic portrait. Allowing space for these moments means creating a podium for matters concerning job insecurity and societal injustice, or even love and infidelity, to arise through casual, natural conversations. It’s in this domain of the real that we get more in touch with those whom we are seeing (and following) in this fictional work. It is also through the camera work that we connect with one of the most emotionally powerful scenes. As one of Domingos’ co-workers perishes inside a mining pit, we feel a sense of presence emanating from the camera itself. As it is being led to the top of the pit, just as the colleague’s body is, it embodies tragedy, assuming his position through the lens. But it doesn’t stop there: it also makes us face the horrific event from an outside perspective.

Different types of motion are taking place: Neusia might stay behind physically, but her life changes when she gets pregnant. There can be no relief for those with an undying wish to reunite, for those who wait for another while moving further apart (even if it is for their own sake). The film’s approach to her emotional heartache feels sincere and tender, with several scenes where her vocal silence and staring eyes cut deep. Highlights of the subtle sounds surrounding her, in several well-placed scenes, achieve an even stronger impact.

In the end, Gold Songs evolves into a beautiful yet heartbreaking, symphonic piece: a filmic representation of the state of the (and their) world.

Gold Songs is a Portuguese-French co-production staged by Oublaum Filmes and La Belle Affaire Productions, with sales by The Party Film Sales.