Manoel de Oliveira (1908-2015)

[aewb]

Manoel de Oliveira

[swo17]

Well, he had a good long run! 83 years between his first and last film, with most of his rich and multitudinous body of work made after he'd already surpassed life expectancy.

[backstreetsbackalright]

Manoel de Oliveira

Such a special filmmaker. Those late films were really a gift.

[Roger Ryan]

When watching his interview bonus feature on THE STRANGE CASE OF ANGELICA in which he compares special effects James Cameron did for AVATAR to the work of Georges Méliès, it occurred to me that de Oliveira probably saw some of Méliès' work as a child shortly after it was filmed!

[Perkins Cobb]

Well, he had a good long run! 83 years between his first and last film, with most of his rich and multitudinous body of work made after he'd already surpassed life expectancy.

By my count, 90% of his features were made after he was 65!

[colinr0380]

I fondly remember Barry Norman back on the BBC's Film '98 show briefly reviewing Voyage To The Beginning Of The World and saying that the film was fine although a little disappointing for what would be likely to be the director's final film due to his advanced age. Luckily there were a dozen films after that!

[Stefan Andersson]

Not unexpected, but very sad news nonetheless. For a long time I hoped for at least one more feature. Apparently, according to one obituary, there has been insurance difficulties, more than financing difficulties.

But he left a wonderful legacy.

Parts of that legacy are his final short film, O Velho do Restelo, showing on Arte April 9, at 0020h, and his posthumous film Visit, or Memories and Confessions (1982), scheduled for its first public showing in April at the Portuguese Cinematheque:
http://www.allocine.fr/article/ficheart ... 40878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brief but pertinent info about Visit can be found in the French daily Le Monde, April 4, 2015, p. 14-15.
To read online, go here and search by selecting Le Monde, April 4 in the Calendar, then go to bottom of screen, use right arrow to click to p. 14-15:
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That article is right now for subscribers only on the Le Monde web site.

[Perkins Cobb]

Memories and Confessions, the 1982 film about his family home that Oliveira withheld during his lifetime, will screen next month.

[Michael Kerpan]

Episode 1 of Varda's new-ish "Agnes de ci de la Varda" features visits with both Chris Marker and Manoel de Oliveira. Oliveira was already 104 (or so) by this point, but was reamrkably lively and full of energy - among other things, doing an impromptu bit of fencing with his cane -- and then doing a pretty good imitation of Chaplin's Tramp. Speaking of a group shot including Oliveira, his spouse and Varda herself, she noted that the trio totaled 279 years.

[Perkins Cobb]

When Oliveira was only 99 or so, I saw him shoot that cane up to a 90 degree angle and push open one of the heavy metal doors at BAM with it. Didn't miss a step.

[Stefan Andersson]

Visita ou Memorias et Confissoes will be shown at the 2015 Cannes festival as per Cannes Classics report on the Screen Daily web site.

Here is a B & W picture of MO´s former house in Porto, designed after his own construction plans:

http://www.rtp.pt/cinemax/?t=Inedito-de ... ut=8&tm=61" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More info:
http://www.lefigaro.fr/cinema/2015/04/0 ... iveira.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

News reports following first public showings of Visita in Porto and Cinemateca Portuguesa, Lissabon, on May 4:

http://www.cineuropa.org/nw.aspx?t=news ... did=290593" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://aviagemdosargonautas.net/2015/05 ... em-lisboa/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... da-1694415" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... ia-1694375" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Sound recording of discussion in Portuguese, subtitled in Portuguese, after showing of film:
http://www.apaladewalsh.com/2015/05/04/ ... -oliveira/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

O Velho do Restelo (Old Man of Belem) with French subtitles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LOREeg3tc8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

Reactions to Cannes showing of Visita:

http://www.sofilm.fr/cannes-jour-9-le-t ... -doliveira" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in French

http://quinlan.it/2015/05/22/visita-ou- ... onfissoes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In Italian - scroll down for links to further MO stories

http://ojosabiertos.otroscines.com/cann ... cinefilia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in Spanish

http://www.eldestiladorcultural.es/cine ... ica-dia-8/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In Spanish

http://www.elumiere.net/especiales/oliveira/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - in Spanish
Collection of articles about MO, including the programme notes for the first public showing in Porto

http://www.sol.pt/noticia/393282" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In Portuguese

http://cannes2015.lesinrocks.com/2015/0 ... -oliveira/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In French

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review ... iew-797781" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

Daniel Kasman on Visita:
https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/cannes-2015-day-9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

http://www.rogerebert.com/cannes/cannes ... onfessions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

http://cinentransit.com/cannes-2015-mig ... asethakul/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In Spanish



http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/arts/ ... .html?_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting quotes:

"According to the Argentine website Todas las Criticas, which compiles ratings from more than 40 international critics, “Visita” received the highest average rating of any new film at Cannes this year."

"according to the wishes of the director’s family, the film will circulate, beginning with a screening at the Filmoteca Española in Madrid."
This bodes well for further chances to see the film in cinemas.

The print shown at Cannes is the only print existing.

[Stefan Andersson]

More on Visita:

https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/manoel- ... ooms-twice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

Oliveira´s last film (approx. 15 mins.) is viewable, for the moment, here:

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... do-1698335" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The title translates as "A Century of Energy" or maybe "The First Century of Energy". It is a part of the Portuguese EDP (gas, electricity) company´s latest PR campaign. Showings in 10 Portuguese cities are planned.

On-stage music and dance performances accompany shots of various energy sources, hydro-electric, wind, solar. The film includes now-and-then footage of various sites, plus reedited shots from MO´s short documentary Hulha Branca (White Coal, 1932), about the Ermal hydro-electric dam, founded by Oliveira´s industrialist father, by the Ave River.

Shot at the Serralves Foundation, Porto, probably in February 2015, according to public statements by Ricardo Trepa, Oliveira´s grandson.

According to end titles, Oliveira is credited as co-cinematographer; postproduction was unfinished when Oliveira passed away on April 2, 2015.

No subs, some short onscreen text in Portuguese, but very watchable anyway.

Complete short film, making of and more (click on the three vertical lines in the box, screen right, to open menu):
https://1seculodeenergia.edp.pt/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Making of: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More info:

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... ra-1698165" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Oliveira took part in shooting in March, 2015
- Brief mention of Oliveira´s unrealized plans for a documentary about his father and his family, based on personal documents and footage shot by Jean Rouch


None of these two articles makes it clear whether Oliveira was present during the whole shoot.

Also:

http://www.edp.pt/pt/media/noticias/201 ... ergia.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empresas ... ergia.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://marketeer.pt/2015/06/08/edp-apre ... -oliveira/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.dn.pt/inicio/artes/interior. ... id=4613988" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-Oliveira approved all storyboards and supervised all camera set-ups

http://observador.pt/2015/06/08/curta-m ... z-cidades/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Ricardo Trepa apparently assisted/supported Oliveira in making the film

Update:
http://www.briefing.pt/publicidade/3345 ... veira.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Oliveira supervised the production and casting, was present at some of the location shooting; at other times he was represented by somebody who conveyed his vision, according to Ricardo Trepa

[zedz]

Oliveira´s last film (approx. 15 mins.) is viewable, for the moment, here:

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... do-1698335" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The title translates as "A Century of Energy" or maybe "The First Century of Energy". It is a part of the Portuguese EDP (gas, electricity) company´s latest PR campaign. Showings in 10 Portuguese cities are planned.

On-stage music and dance performances accompany shots of various energy sources, hydro-electric, wind, solar. The film includes now-and-then footage of various sites, plus reedited shots from MO´s short documentary Hulha Branca (White Coal, 1932), about the Ermal hydro-electric dam, founded by Oliveira´s industrialist father, by the Ave River.

Shot at the Serralves Foundation, Porto, probably in February 2015, according to public statements by Ricardo Trepa, Oliveira´s grandson.

According to end titles, Oliveira is credited as co-cinematographer; postproduction was unfinished when Oliveira passed away on April 2, 2015.

No subs, some short onscreen text in Portuguese, but very watchable anyway.

Complete short film, making of and more (click on the three vertical lines in the box, screen right, to open menu):
https://1seculodeenergia.edp.pt/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Making of: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More info:

http://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon/no ... ra-1698165" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Oliveira took part in shooting in March, 2015
- Brief mention of Oliveira´s unrealized plans for a documentary about his father and his family, based on personal documents and footage shot by Jean Rouch


None of these two articles makes it clear whether Oliveira was present during the whole shoot.

Also:

http://www.edp.pt/pt/media/noticias/201 ... ergia.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empresas ... ergia.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://marketeer.pt/2015/06/08/edp-apre ... -oliveira/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.dn.pt/inicio/artes/interior. ... id=4613988" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-Oliveira approved all storyboards and supervised all camera set-ups

http://observador.pt/2015/06/08/curta-m ... z-cidades/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Ricardo Trepa apparently assisted/supported Oliveira in making the film

Update:
http://www.briefing.pt/publicidade/3345 ... veira.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Oliveira supervised the production and casting, was present at some of the location shooting; at other times he was represented by somebody who conveyed his vision, according to Ricardo Trepa

Thanks for posting this. It's a lovely film, and that must be a front-runner for the most exquisitely appropriate final shot of a career.

[Stefan Andersson]

Glad you liked it!

Yes, it´s a wonderful film.

In the making-of, Oliveira is seen present at the shooting of the dance scenes, intently watching a video monitor and talking with Trepa and the film crew.

BTW: the French magazine Cahiers du Cinema, May 2015 issue, contains an extended homage to Oliveira (several articles). Go to: http://www.cahiersducinema.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Contents:

Hommage

- Manoel de Oliveira

Manoel de Oliveira, l’énigme par António Preto
L’homme et sa circonstance par Jean-Philippe Tessé
Une actrice improbable par Leonor Silveira
Manoel, je vous regarde par Luís Miguel Cintra
Lettre à Manoel de Oliveira par Diógo Doria
Sur un volcan entretien avec Valérie Loiseleux
Parole et ironie par Mathias Lavin
Jamais deux fois dans le même fleuve par Guillaume Bourgois
Pour la Maison du cinéma Manoel de Oliveira par Jacques Lemière
Le ciel est historique entretien avec Manoel de Oliveira, par Raymond Bellour et Serge Daney

The End

Oliveira & Girls

[Stefan Andersson]

Roundup of reviews of Visita:
http://criticsroundup.com/film/visit-or ... nfessions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More reviews (click on a film to open reviews roundup):
http://criticsroundup.com/people/manoel-de-oliveira/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

David Bordwell on Visita - go here and scroll down: http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2015/ ... nal-entry/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stefan Andersson]

For a pdf file in German, containing comments about various films about MO, go here:
http://www.arsenal-berlin.de/berlinale- ... fa1624844c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Contains quotes from Portuguese newspapers, Cahiers du Cinema etc.

[Stefan Andersson]

Visita is showing, with English subtitles, at this year´s New York Film Festival, Sunday Oct. 4:
http://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2015/films/ ... nfessions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;