1907. Afonso takes a job as a doctor on an African island plantation, where slaves are afflicted by a strange disease called Banzo, also known as slave nostalgia. The inexorable homesickness makes them apathetic, starving or taking their own lives. In an attempt to prevent the disease from spreading, the sick are sent to a remote area of the forest. Afonso soon realises that understanding the souls of the sick is far more important than treating them with drugs. How to feel the suffering of those who have been denied the right to mourn? Banzo also reminds us that behind every story there is a person who tells it, and the oppressive atmosphere of the place brings back the dark colonial past.
About the film
Details
- Running time
- 2 hr. 7 min.
- Country, year
- Portugal, France, Netherlands, 2024
- Genre
- Drama
- Language
- Portuguese
- Subtitles
- Lithuanian, English
- Age rating
- Pegi 13
Credits
- Director
- Margarida Cardoso
- Screenplay
- Margarida Cardoso
- Producers
- Filipa Reis
- Cinematography
- Leandro Ferrão
- Music
- Rutger Zuydervelt
- Cast
- Carloto Cotta, Hoji Fortuna, Rúben Simões, Gonçalo Waddington, Sara Carinhas
- More information
- www.imdb.com
Festivals and awards
- selected for Bright Future section.
- „Arvore da Vida“ apdovanojimas už geriausią portugališką filmą
- nominated for best film
- Arvore da Vida Award for Best Portuguese Film
Director
Margarida Cardoso
Margarida Cardoso started making films in 1995, combining personal experiences and a post-colonial approach to depict Portugal's recent history, be it the Revolution or the colonial wars in Africa. Her films have been screened at major documentary film festivals in Locarno and Venice.
