Artur Semedo

No Dia dos Meus Anos

This Portuguese movie directed by João Botelho, is part of The Four Elements series. This is the second episode, The Air.

Aqui D'El Rei!

At the end of the nineteenth century, an army force led by Major Mouzinho de Albuquerque, a cavalry officer, imprisoned in Mozambique the tribal chief Gungunhana, who had rebelled against Portuguese government and sovereignty. Mouzinho instantly becomes a national hero but his raising popularity worries the State.

A Luxury Crime

Pontius Branco was a climber of the economy, climbed by money like Mount Everest. aggressive businessman. His wife Bernarda felt betrayed. He replaced her for the orgies between the purchase intervals, sells and deceives. Here comes the train from 15:30 to Lisbon a coming emigrant from France with a five year old daughter in her arms and attacks Pontius in his stronghold, demanding recognition of the daughter of sin, Libertina that he had made her "bidonville» on the city of light. Bernarda hires a private detective to obtain evidence of Pontius's adultery with a curvaceous blonde, whose dream was to own butchers, fishmongers and vegetable places in a shopping center. Pontius who all deceived and this triangle (not Bermuda), weaves the web and bore's the head of the entrepreneur. A perfect luxury crime puts the police overtime. Time passes and only after the Seventh Day Mass is brought to light when the sky was given the eclipse of the moon ...

O Querido Lilás

Beladona was the greatest star, or so she thought. Careless of her rural property, she lived by night countless adventures. From one such nights in the arms of a stage and movie producer, she begot her dear Lilás. Alas, six minutes after birth, the boy was taken from her and declared dead - due to the intrigue of the producer, who didn't want to recognize the child as his. Taken into custody by a surrogate mother, twenty years after the child grew into a man, who starts his education in the very fado (folk song, also meaning destiny) tavern where his real mother is. Beladona is still an attractive woman - and drama is round the corner.

Saudades Para Dona Genciana

Dona Elvira promises to get a job from José through the typical Portuguese wedge. In parallel, they are bizarre aspects and eccentric figures of the city life, including the tragedy of the actress Maria Alves.

A Moura Encantada

A 1985 Portuguese language drama film directed by Manuel Costa e Silva, starring Luis Varela, Teresa Goucho and Vitorino Salomé. The film screened at International Film Festival Rotterdam in 1988.

The State of Things

On location in Portugal, a film crew runs out of film while making their own version of Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended (1956). The producer is nowhere to be found and director Munro attempts to find him in hopes of being able to finish the film.

A Estrangeira

The shady side of an Italian textile trade in northern Germany is the subject of this slow-paced but atmospheric drama featuring Alberto Sordi as Totonno, a low-level, petty criminal anxious to move up a somewhat crooked ladder. Rising to the rank of the "dons" -- Don Raffaele (Carmine Ippolito) or Don Gennaro (Pasquale Cenammo) -- is not an easy task, as Totonno is about to find out. In the meantime, Paula (Belinda Lee) provides a romantic distraction, and another would-be entrepreneur opts for the straight and narrow. This uneven feature offers some colorful performances but the sum is less convincing than its parts.

The Territory

A small group of well-to-do vacationers go on a hiking trip into the woods. Foolishly unprepared to deal with Mother Nature and their situation, they wander around lost for days and weeks, becoming more and more fatigued, hungry, and desperate. A brief encounter with a pair of epicureans on a bridge fails to garner them any of the gluttons' feast due to a language barrier. Eventually their party begins to die, and the survivors ration their meat among them, attaching a religious-type ritual to its dispensation.

Bárbara

Joe Valente, a luso-american, returns home with the dream of turning molice picking into a real industry. But this will cause misery for those who use the traditional methods.

Madrugada

A young agricultural conductor, Pedro goes to Alentejo to work in a farm, in March 1974. The contact with the workers and the experience of their problems make him aware of the exploitation to which they are subject. Such an attitude is not understandable to the workers - coming from the son of a friend of the boss.

A Confederação: O Povo É Que Faz A História

In an imaginary future, Portugal consists of an association of states - North and South - with zones of specific influence. City under vigilance, Lisbon is inhabited by a repressed and militarized population. Maria and António stand out in this city and surrender themselves to a submersive love. 1978

O Rei das Berlengas ou a Independência das Ditas

The disastrous attempts of D. Lucas Telmo Midões to achieve in 1981 the independence of the Berlengas islands - lost eight centuries ago, during the conquests of D. Afonso Henriques.

The Assignment

A Swedish diplomat travels to a civil war in a Latin American country. His mission is to mediate between the two extremist groups.

The Misadventures of Dracula Von Barreto in the Lands of the Agrarian Reform

To the tune of "A terra a quem a trabalha", an Alentejo peasant girl is attacked by a vampire but rescued afterwards by workers and peasants armed with sickles and hammers. Filmed during the 1977 Festa do Avante, with a collective of participants linked to cinema and theatre, this film is a critique of the legislative process led by António Barreto, Minister of Agriculture between 1976-1978, which put an end to the agrarian reform occupations.

The Ghosts of Alcacer-Kibir

Alentejo 1975. The Police associate a group of traveling players with a strike of agricultural workers. The action takes place in the open space and harsh heat of the Alentejo. With the connivance of Lianor, the troupe enters the palace of Don Gonzalo an old aristocrat. The gentleman is obsessed by visions of great past deeds in a universe of ghosts. This was the first example of militant cinema in Portugal after the end of the Estado Novo dictatorship, exploring the world after the Carnation Revolution and its contradictions.

Sofia e a Educação Sexual

After her mother's death, Sofia returns from a Swiss college to her family's luxurious villa, in Cascais. Through the relashionship between her father, Henrique, and his lover Laura, she will discover the complexity, egothistic, discrete and hypocrite way of life - from which there is no escape.

Malteses, Burgueses e às Vezes...

Trafaria changes his business to Angola, in search of a more profitable occupation, by shaming the pioneers. There he engages in the obscure social and political environment, from which emerge some characteristic figures - administrators, their wives and secretaries, Arabs, police officers, priests and mercenaries...

Vidas sem Rumo

Meia-Lua used to be a sailor, but he now makes a poor living smuggling. He is a cynical man, who doesn't care for Ana or for the child they had together. He lives with the beautiful Marlene who dances in the bars. Gull spends her whole days lulling a doll in her arms, and she waits for her love that will rise from the depths of the sea. The deaf musician Sparrow watches over her, in his despaired love and long-held wish of becoming a sea captain. There is a dispute down the piers, there is a crime that might be just an accident, there is a bad conscience that turns sour, there is a boat full of poor wretches like a rocking lullaby, a baby that passes from arms to arms, a clumsy beggar that finds some work, a courthouse of tramps... From this expressionist account that has unexpected comical moments, the censors from Salazar's regime cut away 20 minutes that were never to be found again.

O Dinheiro dos Pobres

Manuel and Pedro have different approaches to love. Manuel suffers a disgust that makes him sullen, and enters the priesthood. Pedro keeps on in his carefree ways, and commits a robbery. Manuel knows the robber is Pedro, but he learned it in Catholic confession. To keep his vows as a priest, he is prepared to be arrested.

O Cerro dos Enforcados

15th century. D. Afonso, an old jealous nobleman, demands that all stay away when his wife, D. Leonor, goes to church to pray to Our Lady of Mercês. Another nobleman, D. Rui, sees her and fells under the spell or he beauty. D. Afonso orders his wife to retreat to Quinta do Cabril, and decides, one night, to stab his rival to death. It is then that a hanged man decides to intervene. - MOTELx

Chaimite

From the military planning to front-line operations of discover conquest of Mozambique by the Portuguese, to counter the Vatuas insurgency of 1894, when they were led by Gungunhana, a cunning strong African leader. Against the background of Marracuene, Coolela, Manjacaze, Chaimite and Macontene historical battles, two soldiers fight for the love of a coloni st's daughter.

Nazaré

The sea, often treacherous, is the only source of living of the people of Nazaré. The film tells the story of António and his family, where no dreams are allowed. There is also the mourning of the woman in black wailing silently on the beach or waiting for their children lost in the sea.

Two Causes

Adriana, an orphan who has been raised in a well off family, becomes pregnant after being seduced by a man. Outraged, Mr. Bento kicks her our of home. What he doesn't realize is that her seducer is his own son, Raul, a brilliant law student.

The Circus

Tony, a trapeze artist, gets a job at a small circus. When a tempest takes away the tent, Tony stays for the love of the beautiful Belmira who could be a rider… if they hadn’t sold the horse. They play at open-air, sleep under the stars, scrimp and save every penny, and soon there’s a new tent to be bought on credit. But Belmira is not happy, she dreams of a real home, while Tony is fascinated by the circus. And the gloomy days are back.