Country: Portugal / others
Review: Aurora had a rich and spoiled youth, spent in a former Portuguese colony in Africa. Now she lives in Lisbon with her african maid, who she accuses of sorcery. She became a fragile, frightened and poor old woman, haunted by memories of a lost lover. Some of the characters have shown margin for further development, yet the plot was rather compelling. The unforeseen invocation of mute cinema to approach the scenes of the past, gave it a distinguished touch, luring the viewer for its magnificent black-and-white pictures. The Religion factor was another fundamental aspect to create a favorable mysticism - guilt, fear and regret are often associated with the devil and hell. Miguel Gomes was deservedly recognized at Berlin Film Festival as an emergent filmmaker.
