Pocas Pascoal | Portugal, Angola | 2011 | 94’ | In Portuguese | English subtitles
With her heart wrenching Por aqui tudo bem (All is well) debuting director Pocas Pascoal tells the story of an entire generation of Angolans, the generation to which she herself belongs. Not surprisingly this story is largely autobiographic. The film is dedicated to the memory of her sister.
In late summer of 1980, when Angola has been independent of Portugal for five years, two Angolan sisters arrive in Lisbon: 16-year-old Alda and 17-year-old Maria. They fled Angola, torn by civil war. Their mother stayed behind to wait for her husband who went fighting to liberate the country. In a poor neighbourhood of Lisbon they try to make the best of things. With little money to spend, they stay in a cheap boarding house and keep in touch with their mother by phone. Other refugee Angolans add to their troubles; a drug dealer who tries to seduce Maria, a seamstress who blames them for surviving whereas her son died. After a tragic incident the sisters decide to go separate ways.
Without narrative fireworks or sweeping film music, but with humour and very natural acting Pascoal paints a clear picture of the fate of Africans who come to Europe.
Screenings:
FRI 10 AUG - 18:00 |
SAT 18 AUG - 17:00 |
