In Porto, the city where he was born in 1908, Portuguese director Manuel de Oliveira shot his last film and released it on December 11, his 106th birthday. A 19-minute short film titled The Old Man of Restelo (or Filho do Restelo). In a park of modern buildings, Don Quixote talks with famous Portuguese writers, such as Luís de Camões, a sixteenth-century poet or Camilo Castelo Branco, a nineteenth-century author. They talk about literature, history, and the futile search for greatness… and there are also several excerpts from the director's latest films. A short work, but as intense as the director's career was long.
O Velho do Restillo [THE OLD MAN OF BELEM] from Oh som e furia we Vimeo.
Manuel de Oliveira was often inspired by short stories or novels, which he adapted quite freely. By trying to go beyond literature, because Cinema is the art of synthesis“, he said. However, in his youth, this admirer of Dreyer and Chaplin was not appreciative of art but of sports: swimming, athletics and especially cars, which won him the Grand Prix in 1937 at the Estoril circuit. Handsome, he even acted in a few films, and his role was The most important is the role And (Cancao de Lisbon).the first Portuguese-language film, in 1933. At that time, he was still making a short film, shot with a camera given to him by his father: Documentary Douro, river workDedicated to the activities of the residents of the banks of the Douro River. One of the last silent films.
“Walking around is how I found comfort.”
Since then, Manuel de Oliveira has directed more than 50 feature films and documentaries. His first feature film, Aneke Bobo It dates back to 1942, and the second, The secret of springfrom 1953, and the third Past and present From 1972… L. explained 20 minutesWhen he received us at his home in 2009, he said that the dictatorship had caused him much delay in his career as a director.
>> Manuel de Oliveira, here in the photos
For thirty years, he made very few films, but he had the opportunity to visit Germany from top to bottom, “the country of lenses and cameras”, in order to perfect his technical knowledge. Since Salazar's downfall in April 1974, he has continued to shoot avidly at the rate of one film a year. So almost all of his works were produced after his sixtieth birthday… “Life flies by, I don't have time to waste,” he repeated tirelessly. Retirement – or vacation – was unthinkable for him: “Touring is how I found relief.”
He loved France and its actors and actresses
On the same day, December 11, 2014, France awarded him the Legion of Honor as a Grand Officer. Because Manuel de Oliveira had a special affection for our country, and for its actors and actresses in particular. It is one of his best films that he has filmed monastery With Catherine Deneuve (1995), the message With Chiara Mastroianni (1999), I'm going home With Michele Piccoli (2001).
His last feature film, Gibo and the shadow (2012), which he shot in Paris with Michael Lonsdale, Claudia Cardinale and Jeanne Moreau.
