Michael Lonsdale, Claudia Cardinale & Jeanne Moreau Star
Oh, are you having a case of the Mondays? Maybe you’re still a bit hungover from the weekend and feeling a bit lethargic at the beginning of the work week? Don’t tell it to Manoel de Oliveira. At 102 years old, the famed Portuguese director has started lensing his next feature length film. Awesome.
Oliveira has had a curious route into a filmmaking career. Though he first started out way, way back 1927 at the age of nineteen, his early career was marked by a handful of projects that were never realized or films that were met with initially cool receptions from critics and audiences. Oddly enough, it wouldn’t be until the 1970s when he would really breakthrough and most of his output has been coming at age when most directors are winding down and ready to retire. While he won’t be seen at a multiplex near you, arthouse fans have likely caught up with films like “Eccentricities of a Blond Hair Girl,” “The Strange Case of Angelica” or “Belle Toujours” in recent years. As for this next effort, “Gabo and the Shadow,” details are a bit slim.
The film, which will star Michael Lonsdale and famous beauties Jeanne Moreau and Claudia Cardinale, is based on the play by the Portuguese writer Raul Brandau, and is currently filming in Paris when production schedule to be finished by the end of October. Could this mean Oliveira will make a return trip Cannes in 2012 after preeming ‘Angelica’ on the Croisette in 2010? Certainly Thierry Fremaux wouldn’t mind having legends like Moreau and Cardinale flanking the oldest working filmmaker in the world. We’ll bet on it happening. [The Independent]
Oliveira\’s films leae me a little cold too, but man, “Eccentricities of a Blond Hair Girl,” rules and its ending is one of the most hilarious fuck yous ever.
Hey guys, I used the spelling from the Independent. I presume they may have anglicized some of the names.
It\’s not \”-…that were met with initially cool receptions from critics and audiences\”, but \”…that were met with initially COLD receptions from critics and audiences.\” The name of the writer is Raul BRANDÃO, not Brandau.
Have you revised your text before posting?
I\’m not that familiar with the man\’s to tell the truth. I need to remedy that … Wasn\’t really a fan of The Strange Case of Angelica.
Just a small correction on my comment: the right sentence would be \”it follows Gebo\”, not \”a obra acompanha de Gebo\”. 🙂
The right title would be Gebo and the Shadow (or Gebo e a Sombra, in portuguese).
About the story: a obra acompanha de Gebo, a honest worker that hides from his wife that his son, João (the Shadow of the title) steals from his boss. One day, Gebo decides to take the blame and has to spend three years in prison, where he notices the unfairness of life and starts to question everything around him.
Keep up the good work! 🙂
Let\’s not disrespect the legendary actress. It\’s Jeanne Moreau – not Jean. As for Manoel de Oliveira still making movie – just WOW!