arabian nights by miguel gomes

7/23/2019 Arabian Nights by Miguel Gomes

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a film by

miguel g


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arabian nights

In Portugal a European country in crisis a film director proposesto build fictional stories from the miserable reality he is immersed in.However, failing to find meaning in his work, he cowardly runs awayand leaves the beautiful Scheherazade to stand in his shoes. She willrequire enthusiasm and courage so as not to bore the King with sadstories of this country. As nights go past, restlessness leads to desolationand in turn to enchantment! Therefore Scheherazade organisesthe stories she tells the King in three volumes. She begins like this:It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in a sad country amongall countries....


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In which Scheherazade tells of the restlessness that befell the country:It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in a sad country amongall countries, where people dream of mermaids and whales, andunemployment is spreading. In certain places, forests burn into the nightdespite the falling rain; men and women long to set out to sea in themiddle of Winter. Sometimes there are animals that talk although it ishighly improbable that they are listened to. In this country, where thingsare not what they appear to be, men of power promenade on camelsand hide permanent and shameful erections; they await the momentwhen taxes are collected so they can pay a certain wizard whomAnd seeing the morning break, Scheherazade fell silent.

v>lume 1the restless one

2h05 DCP 2:40 scope 16mm, 35 mm color sound 5.1Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland 2015

castCrista Alfaiate, Adriano Luz, Amrico Silva,Rogrio Samora, Carloto Cotta, Fernanda Loureiro


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In which Scheherazade tells of how desolation invaded men: It hathreached me, O auspicious King, that a distressed judge will cry insteadof giving out her sentence on a night when all three moons are aligned.A runaway murderer will wander through the land for over forty daysand will teletransport himself to escape the Police while dreamingof prostitutes and partridges. A wounded cow will reminisce abouta thousand-year-old olive tree while saying what she must say, whichwill sound none less than sad! The residents of a tower block in thesuburbs will save parrots and piss inside lifts while surrounded bydead people and ghosts; including in fact a dog that. And seeingthe morning break, Scheherazade fell silent.

Damned tales! If things continue this way my daughter will surelyend up with her throat slit! the Grand-Vizier, Scheherazades father,thinks in his palace in Bagdad.

v|lume 2

the desolate one

2h11 DCP 2:40 scope 16mm, 35 mm color sound 5.1Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland 2015

castCrista Alfaiate, Adriano Luz, Amrico Silva,Rogrio Samora, Carloto Cotta, Fernanda Loureiro


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In which Scheherazade doubts that she will still be able to tell stories toplease the King, given that what she has to tell weighs three thousandtons. She therefore escapes from the palace and travels the kingdomin search of pleasure and enchantment. Her father, the Grand-Vizier,arranges to meet her at the Ferris wheel and Scheherazade resumesher narration: O auspicious King, in old shanty towns of Lisbon therewas a community of bewitched men who, with all dedication and passion,devoted themselves to teaching birds to sing.And seeing the morning break, Scheherazade fell silent.

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Miguel Gomes was born in Lisbon in 1972. He studied cinema andworked as film critic for the Portuguese press until the year 2000.

Miguel has directed several short films and made his first featureThe Face you deserve in 2000. Our beloved Month of August(2008)andTabu(2012) came to confirm his success and international

recognition. Tabuwas released at Berlinales Competition, whereit won the Alfred Bauer and FIPRESCI award ; the movie was sold toover 50 countries and won dozens of awards.

Retrospectives of Miguels work have been programmed at theViennale, the BAFICI, the Torino Film Festival, in Germany and inthe USA. Redemption, his most recent short film, premiered in 2013at Venice Film Festival.

Arabian Nights , is a three-part feature film, premieres in this year'sedition of the Directors Fortnight in Cannes.

CREW

directorMiguel Gomes

screenwritersMiguel Gomes,Mariana Ricardo,Telmo Churro

cinematographer

Sayombhu Mukdeeprom

Lisa Persson (The InebriatingChorus of the Chaffinches)

Mrio Castanheira (The Storyof the Cockerel and t he Fire)

editing

Telmo Churro,Pedro Filipe Marques,Miguel Gomes

sound

Vasco Pimentel

production design

Bruno Duarte, Artur Pinheiro

assistant director:Bruno Loureno

journal ists

Maria Jos Oliveira,Rita Ferreira,Joo de Al meida Dias

research

Vasco Costa

costumes

Silvia Grabowski,Lucha DOrey

sound editing and mix

Miguel Martins

foleys

Denis Schaud,Pascal Mazire

colorist

Christophe Bousquet

production manager

Isabel Silva

executive producer

Lus Urbano

co-producers and associate

producers

Olivier Pre, Remi BurahARTE France Cinma

Meinolf Zurhorst,Alexander BohrARTE/ZDF

Nuno VazRTP

Franoise Mayor,

Sophie Sallin, Sven Wlti,Gregory CatellaRTS Radio Tlvision Suisse SRG SSR

Robert GudiguianPatrick SobelmanMarc BordureAGAT FILMS & Cie

Michel Merkt

producers

Lus Urbano, Sandro AguilarO SOM E A FRIA

Thomas Ordonneau

SHELLAC SUD

Jonas Dornbac h,Janine Jackowski,Maren AdeKOMPLIZEN FILM

Elena Tatti, Thierry Spicher,Elodie BrunnerBOX PRODUCTIONS


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diary of the making of the arabian nights

The handwritten pages of a diary recording the making of The ArabianNightsended up in the film producers hands by mere chance. Despitethe directors tears, who denied being the author of this d iary, reputableexperts confirmed its unequivocal provenance. Excerpts of this havebeen included in this press kit because we consider them solid supportmaterial for the film.

lume 1the restless one

The Work of the Film Director,of the Shipyard Workers and of

the Wasp ExterminatorThe Island of the Young Virgins of Bagdad

The Men with a Hard-onsThe Story of the Cockerel and the Fire

The Swim of the MagnificentsThe First Magnificents Story

The Second Magnificents Story

The Third Magnificents Story

v|lume 2the desolate one

Chronicle of the Escapeof Simo Without Bowels

The Tears of the Judge

The Owners of DixiePart One :

Glria, Lusa and Humberto

The Stories of the Residents of the Tower Block

told by Humberto and Lusa

Part Two:

Vasco, Vnia, Ana and her Grandchildren

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CRISTA ALFAIATEShe embodies and gives voice to Scheherazade but she isalso Punk Maria in The Swim of the Magnificents, both theGenie and the injured cow in The Tears of The Judgeandcountess Batriz Hesler of Lancaster in Hot Forest.Crista Alfaiate was born in Lisbon in 1981 and graduatedin Theatre by Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema (LisbonTheatre and Film School). She collaborat es regularly withseveral theatre production companies (such as O Bando,Mala Voadora, Comdias do Minho and Artistas Unidos).In 2014 she founded the theatrical project L Fora,a show for infants in partnership with Carla Galvo.Her film credits include 4 Copasby Manuel Mozos (2008)andA Esp ada e a Rosa (The Sword and the Rose) by Joo

Nicolau (2010).


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LUSA CRUZShe plays the Judge in The Tears of the Judgebut she alsoplays one of the prostitutes in The Men with a Hard-On.Born in 1962 she graduated in Theatre from the EscolaSuperior de Teatro e Cinema (Lisbon Theatre and FilmSchool) and began working as an actress in 1985.Since then she has had a constant presence in severaltheatre companies, particularly in Teatro da Cornucpiaand Teatro Nacional S. Joo. She also participated inseveral operas in Teatro Nacional de So Carlos.In Cinema she acted in films directed by Fernando MatosSilva, Leo Lopes and Teresa Villaverde.In 2005 she recorded a Fado record called QuandoLisboa Acontece(When Lisbon Happens) accompanied

by Jeff Cohen on the piano.In 2005 and 2010 she won the Golden Globe for BestTheatre Actress.

AMRICO SILVAHe plays the G rand Vizier who is Scheherazades fatherbut he is also the representative of the InternationalMonetary Fund in The Men with a Hard-On and a cattledealer in The Tears of the Judge.He graduated in Theatre at the Instituto de Formao,

Investigao e Criao Teatral (Institute of Training,Research and Creation in Theatre) in 1989 and alsograduated from the Theatre at the Escola Superior deTeatro e Cinema (Lisbon Theatre a nd Film School) in1994. He has since worked in theatre, television andcinema.He has played in over 30 plays by the Artistas Unidostheatre company which he has maintained close ties withsince 1996.In Cinema he has acted in films directed by Jorge SilvaMelo, Alberto Seixas Santos and Ral Ruiz (The Mysteriesof Lisbon).


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CHICO CHAPASHe is Simo W ithout Bowels, the murderer on therun who dreams of prostitutes and partridges, as wellas Chico Chapas, bird-trapper highly regarded by all,the best and most trustworthy birdlime handler in TheInebriating Chorus of the Chaffinches.Francisco Gaspar his real name was born in the

Chelas neighbourhood in Lisbon, one of 14 siblings.His first job was painting electricity boxes and later heworked making blinds. He became a fisherman on theriver Tagus soon after that.At 19 he was drafted into the army and fought in thePortuguese colonial war, in Guinea Bissau. He becameknown for being a fearless soldier, very skilful at catchingbirds and a brilliant footballer.He returned to Lisbon in 1974. He left the army, sold hisboats and dedicat ed himself exclusively to the businessof selling birds.Since then, Chico has endured ups and downs in the birdmarket but his reputation as a Master is indisputable.The Arabian Nights are Chico Chapas debut in Cinema.

ADRIANO LUZHe plays Lus, the union leader who negotiates with theenvoys from the Troika inThe Men with a Hard-Onandhe plays another Lus in The Swim of the Magnificents (or might he be the same?), the organiser of the swimof the 1st of January, a cardiac t rade unionist, swimmingteacher, a recent divorcee, descendant of 16th Centuryseafarers, all in all, a haggard romantic. He is also thefather of the good thief inThe Tears of the Judge was bornin Oporto in 1959 .He works as an actor and theatre director at theTeatro da Cornucpia, Teatro Monumental, TeatroVillaret and Teatro Nacional D. Maria II. He has directeda musical play for TeatroSo Luiz.

In Portuguese cinema he has collaborated with thefollowing directors: Joo Canijo, Joo Botelho, Joo MrioGrilo, Jos Nascimento, Teresa Villaverde, Lus FilipeRocha, Jorge Cramez, Margarida Cardoso, Margarida Giland Edgar Pra.He recently played leading roles in Bille Augusts NightTrain to Lisbonand Ral Ruizs The Mysteries of Lisbon.


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GONALO WADDINGTONHe plays Vnias boyfriend Vasco and hes oneof Dixies owners inThe Owners of Dixie. Hesalso one of the participants in the chaffinchessinging competition in The Inebriating Chorus ofthe Chaffinchesand in The Tears of the Judgeheplays the dumb son/pervert husband and hesone of the masked caretosjokers.

He is a theatre and film actor and director,playwright, screenwriter and p roducer.In Cinema he has acted in films directed byMarco Martins, Tiago Guedes and FredericoSerra, Margarida Cardoso, Joo Canijo andIvo M. Ferreira.

JOANA D E VERO NA

She plays both the Judges daughter in The Tearsof the Judgeand Vnia, one of t he various ownersof Dixie inThe Owners of Dixie.Born in 1989 she studied Theatre in the EscolaSuperior de Teatro e Cinema (Lisbon Theat reand Film School). Film directors she worked withinclude: Marco Martins, Ral Ruiz, Joo Bot elho,Joo Salavi za, Valer ia Sarmiento, Denis C t,Gabriel Abrantes and now also Miguel Gomes.The roles shes most known for are in Mistrios deLisboa (The Mysteries of Lisbon) (2010), As Li nhasde Wellington (The Welingtons Lines) (2012) andRafa(Golden Bear for Best Short Film in Berlinale2012).

LUCKYThis is Dixie, the happy dog in The Owners of Dixie.

Lucky is one of the most famous acting dogs in theSpanish industry. Its acting versatility has beenproved many times in roles for drama, comedyand action.He has also featured in various feature films suchas Milos FormansGoyas Ghosts.


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FERNANDA LOUREIROFernanda is the owner of the cockerel in The Story of theCockerel and the Fire.Born in Resende in 1973, she has two children and hasbeen married for 20 years.The family has always raised poultry and never had anycomplaints. At the end of 2013 she received a letter from

her neighbours lawyer with an order to slaughter hercockerel that sung at dawn.Fernanda never wanted to kill the cockerel; but in 2014the cockerel developed a bad limp and she killed it outof mercy. It was never eaten.Fernanda and her neighbour have not spoken since.

JOO PEDRO BNARDHe plays Humberto, the suicidal owner of Dixie in TheOwners of Dixie.

Joo Pe dro Bnard is a cinema produce r and produc tionmanager, known for his work with Paulo Rocha, JoaquimPinto and Manuel Mozos. Son of Joo Bnard da Costa,he is also a film programmer at Cinemateca Portuguesa.He has acted in films by Manuel Mozos, Teresa Villaverdeand Rita Azevedo Gomes.

TERESA MADRUGAShe plays Luisa, the depressive owner of Dixie in TheOwners of Dixie.She was born in the Portuguese archipelago of theAzores in 1953 and began her acting career in theatrein 1976. In her broad filmography she has workedwith directors such as Manoel de Oliveira, Joo CsarMonteiro, Joo Canijo, Joo Pedro Rodrigues, JooBotelho and Fernando Lopes among others. Her leading

role in Swiss director Alain Tanner's La Ville Blanche(1983) brought her international recognition and otherroles. In 1995 she acted alongside Ma rcello Mastroianniin Roberto Faenza'sAfirma Pereira.In 2012, she played Pilar in Miguel Gomes film Tabu.


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JING JING GUOShe is the speaker for the twelve Chinese ladies in TheTears of the Judgeand lends her voice to the account ofHot Forest.Born in 1992 in Zheijiang, near Shanghai, she has lived inLisbon for 11 years. She currently works in a Portuguesereal estate company, for the Chinese buying market thatacquires properties through The Golden Visas Programme.

CARLOTO COTTAHe plays both the bad Brazilian translator in The Men witha Hard-Onand Paddleman, the man with the outstandingreproductive organ in Scheherazade. He is also one of themasked caretos jokers in The Tears of the Judge.He was born in Portugal in 1984.

He attended secondary school at Cascais Theatre Schooland went on to act in more than 30 shorts, films and tvsoaps, working with Joo Pedro Rodrigues, Manuel Mozosand Jorge Cramez among others.He played the leading role in Joo Salavizas short film

Arena (Winner of the Palme d'Or 2009) and also had animportant part in the award-winning Mistrios de Lisboa(Mysteries of Lisbon) by Raul Ruiz.His collaboration with Miguel Gomes began in the shortfilm 31, he then became Texas, one of Franciscos sevencompanions inThe Face That You Deserveand finally youngVentura in Tabu.


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ROGRIO SAMORAHe plays the Portuguese Prime Minister in The Men witha Hard-On.Born in Lisbon on 1959, hes been a professional actorsince 1981 and hes a regular face in series and films ontv and in the theatre. He has acted in almost fifty cinemafeature films.He has acted for directors such as Manoel de Oliveira,Jos l varo M orais, Joo Mrio Grilo, Joo Botelh o,Manuel Mozos , Antnio Pedro Vasconcelos, Mariade Medeiros, Lus Filipe Rocha, Margarida Cardoso,Jos Fons eca e Costa, Jorge Cramez, Raoul Rui z, an dFernando Lopes (the latter directed him in O Delfim forwhich he was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best

Actor in 2003).His extensive filmography includes participations inO Sapato de Cetim (1985), Os Canibais (1988), Xavier(1992) a nd Love Torn in a Dream (2000).He also voiced Scar in the Portuguese version of TheLion King.

BERNARDO ALVESHe plays Alves, the bird-trapper champion who teacheshis son how to look after birds and offer his trophies todeceased mates in The Inebriating Chorus of the Chaffinches.Born in Lisbon in 1972, he was raised in the shantytown ofNorth Musgueira as the youngest of 6 siblings. He began

working aged 13 as an assistant electrician, then becamea locksmith and at 17 started working as a builder.Alves currently works as a window cleaner; he works longhours between 6am and 8pm. He looks after his birds allhis spare time. His younger son Armindo accompanies him.Alves became interested in birds after his father died andleft them to his children. Alves dedicates his victories to hisfathers memory.


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CARLOS LOUREIROHe plays Rui Miguel, the boy for whom the hills burn inThe Story of the Cockerel and the Fire.

Carlos was born in Resende in 2000 and moved toBordeux when his parents emigrated to France.He learned how to drive cars, jeeps and tractors at theage of 11 and grew used to helping his mother workingin the vineyards. He cycles a lot and wants to becomea building site manager.

ANA MARGARIDA RABAAShe plays Catarina, the firefighter who Rui Miguel falls inlove with in The Story of the Cockerel and the Fire.She was born in 2001 a nd lives in Resende. Her uncleand godfather are firefighters. She performs in theatre inschool and wishes Cinema to become part of her life buther mother thinks that will be difficult because Resende istoo far from such things.

SABRINA LOPESShe plays Sandra, the betrayed lover who sets the hillson fire in The Story of the Cockerel and the Fire.She is 13 years old and lives in Resende in a house closeto the motorway. It takes one hour each day for her tobe driven to school. Her mother works in the vineyards.

BASIROU DIALLOHe plays the wizard in The Men with a Hard-On.Born in Saint Louis, Senegal in 1964, he arrived in

Portugal in 2006 after having lived in Italy for 3 years.He started working as a builder and now currently worksas a salesman of Senegalese crafts. He lives in Lisbon butrelocates to the Algarve during the Summer to work.He was scouted in Rossio by Patrick Mendes, the secondassistant director, who showed him the scene in the script.He travels at least once a year to visit his wife and threechildren.


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THE MAGNIFICENTS

ANIBAL FABRICA is the First Magnificent in The Swim of the Magnificent.He was born in Oliveira de Azemis in 1964 and studied in Lisbon. Hehas been working regularly since February 2014. Nowadays, he worksas an independent consultant to small and medium businesses. He thuslends his know-how to companies in the food and cork industries, for

example.

SNIA AND RUI are the Second Magnificent. Snia and Rui met in thepatisserie where Snia worked. Rui asked for a beer and her phonenumber but Sonia only gave him the beer. Rui continued to comeregularly for a few months until Snia finally agreed to see him afterwork. They now live together and both are looking for work. In orderto survive, Rui collects scrap to sell by weight. They collect food from thelocal catholic charity.

PAULO CARVALHO is the Third Magnificent. Born in 1970 in Aveiro,he worked as a sales agent for most of his life. He was fired after helanded a big client but his employer refused to pay the commission hewas due. He was reaching the end of his contract and the companydidnt renew it. Paulo sued the employer; he received a pa ltry unfairseverance package. He was interviewed for the film in 2013. In January2015 he started a new job, as a sales agent again in a machinery and

tools company for building construction. He says his personality is outof balance since his dismissal.

VOICES OF VIANA

The Work of The Film Director, of the Shipyard Workers and of the Wasp

Exterminatorfeatures the voices of the shipyard workers of Viana doCastelo:

MIGUEL CERQUEIRA, 38 years old. He worked in the shipyard for 20

years. He was mechanic metalworker No. 4118. A union leader, he wasalso a member of the local eco-schools council. His hobby is acting inamateur theatre.

ALBERTO JOAQUIM NOVO (aka Berto), 55 years old. He worked in theshipyard for 30 years. He was driver No. 3592. He plays the Cavaquinho(traditional mini-guitar), the squeeze box and is an amateur actor.

SEBASTIO ALMEIDA, 52 years old. He worked in the shipyards for32 years. He was operative No. 3396 working at the pumping station.

MARTINHO CERQUEIRA, 61 years old. He worked in the shipyardsfor 46 years. He was elec trician No. 1540. A union leader, he is alsoa member of the Viana do Castelo Shipyard Workers Committee.He is a Scouts leader and he was the longest standing worker inthe company.

VTOR VIEIRA, 4 3 years old. He worked in the shipyards for 10 years.He was builder and handler of heavy parts No. 9936. His hobbiesinclude amateur theatre, being a member of a folklore dance groupand he is a drummer.


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international sales

with the support of

in co-production with

world sales

The Match Factory GmbHBalthasarstr. 79-81,50670 Cologne - Germanyphone: +49 221 539 709 0fax: +49 221 539 709 10

[email protected]

international press

Wolfgang W. Werner - Public RelationsTal 4680331 MnchenGermanyphone: +49 89 38 38 670

fax: +49 89 38 38 67 [email protected]

in cannes

Christiane Leithardtcell: +49 175 588 80 86Wolfgang Wernercell: +49 170 333 93 [email protected]

photo creditsBruno Duarte,Vasco Costa,Carlos Morganho

arabian nights by miguel gomes

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