09/03/2006

After last week's successful release of Bad Blood, already seen by over 15,000 moviegoers, it is time for another Portuguese title to hit national theatres: Magic Mirror by Manoel de Oliveira.

After its word premiere at the 2005 Venice Film Festival and its screening in several other international film events, Lusomundo is now handling theatrical distribution of Magic Mirror in six screens throughout the country. The film is yet another by the most internationally acclaimed Portuguese filmmaker, and has already been sold to Italy (Mikado) and Brazil (Cinearte).

Starring Leonor Silveira, Ricardo Trepa, Luís Miguel Cintra, French veteran Michel Piccoli and Spanish actress Marisa Paredes, a newcomer to Oliveira's world, Magic Mirror is an ironic approach to the soul of a rich lady, Alfreda, who longs to see the apparition of the Virgin Mary. After all, why would the Virgin chose to make an appearance to the three little shepherds rather than to a member of the haute bourgeoisie?

Based on a novel by Agustina Bessa-Luís, Magic Mirror marks a turning point in the director's career. After twenty years of a fruitful collaboration with producer Paulo Branco, who also released his films through distributor Atalanta Filmes, the 97 year-old director worked for the first time with Miguel Cadilhe, who produced the film for his Porto-based company Filbox.

"Oliveira is an innovator par excellence. I see his work as audacious cinema, a brilliant deed, very personal, unique and loved by many, and sometimes misunderstood", said the 32 year-old producer, who is also behind Oliveira's new project, Belle Toujours, an unexpected sequel to Buñuel's Belle du jour, which is currently in the editing phase.