In context of the Birth Centenary Commemoration of the writer Agustina Bessa-Luís, the Consulate General of Portugal in Goa, Camões – Centro de Língua Portuguesa in Panjim and the Program of Portuguese and Lusophone Studies of the Shenoi Goembab School of Languages and Literature of the University of Goa, are organising the exhibition ‘Agustina Bessa-Luís: Vida e Obra’, conceived by the writer Inês Pedrosa and the director João Botelho, in a partnership between the Municipality of Póvoa de Varzim and Camões. The exhibition is open to the public at the premises of Camões Portuguese Language Centre in Panjim till February 24. It includes 22 panels profusely illustrated with photographs that reflect the ambience of Agustina Bessa-Luís, as excerpts from her works, which include references from films based on her novels.
Agustina Bessa-Luís was born in Vila Meã, Amarante, on October 15, 1922. She presented herself as a fictionist at the age of 26, in the year 1948, with the novel ‘Mundo Fechado’, which came to be widely known with the prophetic title A Sibila (1954). Awarded the Delfim Guimarães Prize and the Eça de Queirós Prize, Agustina became an essential reference of Portuguese literature (from essay to biography, from drama to chronicle, from travelogues to youth literature) building a powerfully original world view, integrating intuition and rationalism into a kind of wisdom capable of capturing the essence of its time.
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In view of the ongoing exhibition, Camões-CLP will host the screening of the films adapted from the written works of Agustina Bessa-Luís every Friday of this month, from 4 pm onwards. Three films will be screened, ‘A Corte Do Norte/The Northern Land’, ‘O Princípio Da Incerteza / The Uncertainty Principle’ and ‘O Espelho Mágico / The Magic Mirror’. All three films are in Portuguese and will have English subtitles.
Today, February 10, ‘A Corte Do Norte/The Northern Land’ directed by João Botelho will be screened. The cast includes Ana Moreira, Rogério Samora, Ricardo Aibéo, Marcello Urgeghe, Virgilio Castelo, Rita Blanco and Margarida Vila-Nova. The story revolves around a young woman who searches for the true story of a distant ancestor, a noblewoman, who shocked society when she first moved to the island of Madeira. Through interlocking stories that cross centuries, classes and lifestyles, the film links her story to those of several other of the island’s women, all of whose frustrated passions played out in well-appointed manor houses set along magnificent, ocean-swept landscapes. They’re also united as each is incarnated by the same amazing performer, Ana Moreira. Using a painterly and richly melodramatic mise-en-scene, Botelho describes the history of an unfulfilled passion, an emotional energy transmitted from generation to generation of women. A great and welcome comeback for a uniquely gifted filmmaker.
On February 17, ‘O Princípio Da Incerteza / The Uncertainty Principle’ directed by Manoel de Oliveira will be screened at 4 pm. The cast of the film includes Diogo Dória, Isabel Ruth,
Ivo Canelas, José Manuel Mendes,
Leonor Baldaque,
Since childhood, António, a rich boy from good families, and José, known as Trea (Ricardo Trepa), son of the maid Celsa, share everything, watched by celsa’s protective gaze. When they reach adulthood, the little games of love increase this proximity even more: António marries Camila, for whom Taurus Azul had always been in love, and has as lover Vanessa, José’s partner in his dark business. But the devil does not sleep and mocks cruelly of the maid who wanted to counter fate and bad luck. It is a story of love, friendship and revenge that only fire will purify. ‘The Uncertainty Principle’, directed by Manoel de Oliveira, is based on the novel ‘Jóia de Família’ by Agustina Bessa-Luís.
On February 24, the final film, ‘O Espelho Mágico / The Magic Mirror’ will be screened at 4 pm. Directed by Manoel de Oliveira and starring Adelaide Teixeira, Diogo Dória, Isabel Ruth, Glória de Matos, José Wallenstein, Leonor Baldaque, the film revolves around Luciano, fresh out of jail, who was taken by his brother, Flórido, to serve in the home of wealthy Alfreda. He was surprised when she told him that her greatest desire was to see the Virgin Mary. Now comes this rich land owner with her sublime pretensions. Alfreda said that she wouldn’t rest until she saw the Virgin.
