Leonor Silveira Movies

In this symbolic and philosophically weighty film, all of the inhabitants of a Portuguese mental asylum suffer from religious delusions of one kind or another -- even the cynic who denies the value of any religions at all. One couple re-enacts the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden, and then the woman who played at being Eve plays at being St. Teresa de Avila. Another man thinks he's a character from a Dostoyevsky novel, and yet another claims to have in his possession a fifth gospel from the Bible. Everyone has a point of view and is not shy about stating it, defending it in debate with the others with great sincerity, though (the reviewers claimed) with very little elegance or wit. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

In this short drama, fraternal twins Armando and Beatriz are on their own together. They share many things in common, and have formed a household together while they undertake their new duties as apprentice firefighters. Armando has begun a little fling with a downstairs neighbor, and Beatriz is puzzled at her own unpleasant reaction to this. Could she be jealous? She is prone to hearing fires that aren't there, and this psychosomatic symptom only disappears when people, particularly attractive strangers, kiss her. She is getting a reputation for promiscuity, and this only adds to the tension between the twins. However, it eventually looks as though they will work things out, albeit in an unconventional, rather deviant manner. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

In this artful film by 85-year old director Manoel de Oliveira, the heroine, instead of being powerless in the face of a world ruled by men, finds herself to be far too powerful. Beginning when she was a child, Ema (Leonor Silveira as an adult) had the kind of looks and manner that could stop cars when she came up to a street -- or cause accidents. As time goes by, she explores her power over men and, as a mature woman, chooses to marry a man who has virtually no machismo so that she can continue having affairs and exploring this mysterious ability of hers. Eventually she seeks to transcend her unusual limitation and accomplishes her death with astonishing serenity. This haunting story is based on a novel by Agustina Bessa-Luis. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This French language drama from Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira takes an ironic look at the pretentiousness of international jet-setters while simultaneously examining an obsessive romantic relationship between an aging Lothario and a beautiful married woman. The tale begins at a garden party in a lovely villa in the Azores held by Rogerio and Leonor for handsome, middle-aged Michel and his mistress Irene, a noted Greek movie star. The guests aren't there long before an obvious attraction between Leonor and Michel prompts them to head for a private beach (their tryst, if there was one, occurs off-camera). Five years later, the foursome again meet for a garden party and once again they pair off after spending much time discussing gender differences, emotion, social insight and exchanging witty bon mots. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The 89-year-old Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira wrote and helmed this Portuguese-French-Spanish-Swiss co-production, an anthology film drama featuring three tales linked by the theme of death. In "The Immortals," adapted from a Helder Prista Monteiro play, two famous doctors, an 80-year-old father, and his 60-year-old son, contemplate senility and death. "Suzy," from an Antonio Patricio story, is set in the '30s when a young courtesan dies on the operating table. "Mother of the River" is from an Agustina Bessa-Luis fable about eternal life. Shown out of competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira examines the life of 17th century priest and activist Father Antonio Vieira in this biographical drama based on Vieira's own writings. As the film opens, Vieira (Ricardo Trepa) is a missionary working in Brazil who, in addition to spreading the word about Christianity, is passionately devoted to eliminating slavery and bettering the lives of blacks and indigenous peoples. Hoping to spread the word about his work, Vieira sails to Portugal, nearly losing his life when his ship sinks at sea. In Portugal, Vieira becomes so well respected for his work that he is named the confessor of the royal family, and gains the support of King Joao IV for his crusade. Years later, Vieira (now played by Luis Miguel Cintra) has continued to speak out in favor of progressive causes, his sermons attracting the attention of Queen Christina of Sweden (Leonor Silveira), who persuades Vieira to become her confessor. However, his controversial views raise the ire of Portuguese fundamentalists, putting the priest in great danger. In the film's final act, the elderly Vieira (Lima Duarte), despite poor health and failing eyesight, continues to fight for the causes he believes in as he struggles to complete a final literary work, "The History of The Future." Palavra E Utopia received its North American premiere at the 2000 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A man who's been confronted with new responsibilities must decide what to do with his career in this drama with comic undertones. Gilbert Vance (Michel Piccoli) is an aging but highly respected actor who, after completing a performance of Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King in which he plays opposite an attractive and talented actress named Sylvie Leonor Silveira, receives devastating news -- his wife, his daughter, and her husband have all perished in an automobile accident. Vance becomes the guardian of his grandson, and as he learns to live without his loved ones, the boy soon becomes his best and most rewarding reason for getting through the days. Vance returns to work playing Prospero in a well-received production of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and after the successful run, Vance's agent (Antoine Chappey) is flooded with offers for the actor's services. But the majority of the projects are highly dubious, and Vance ends up rejecting most of them, though he takes a role in a screen adaptation of James Joyce's Ulysses directed by American filmmaker John Crawford (John Malkovich), even though he knows he's miscast. As Vance ponders retirement, his agent also passes along another sort of offer -- Sylvie has confided that she's very much attracted to Vance, but while she's more than interested in an affair, Vance isn't sure that he wants a new relationship in his life. Catherine Deneuve also appears in a supporting role as an actress working with Vance. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This delicate and haunting fable from elder statesman of Portuguese filmmaking Manoel de Oliveira has been intepreted in many quarters as the director's response to the violence and brutality of September 11th; it also functions a poignant reflection on the birth and death of civilization. The film begins aboard a cruise ship that departs from Lisbon and is heading to Bombay, India, with many stops along the way. On board are Rosa Maria (Leonor Silveira) and daughter Maria Joana (Filipa de Almedia). As the tourists travel from county to country, Rosa Maria talks to her daughter about the myths and culture of various civilizations; stops include the Sphinx, the Acropolis, Istanbul and many other locales. Tourists board in several locations - many played by celebrities including Irene Papas, Catherine Deneuve, and Stefania Sandrelli - and they engage in lengthy, cultured, super-intellectual discussions with one another aboard the boat, mostly about the birth of civilization and the violence that must accompany it. In these discussions, each individual speaks to the others in his or her native language, sans any difficulty of understanding from the others. Then, a darker truth about the nature of the ship itself emerges, and sets the film up for an unexpectedly horrifying ending. A Talking Picture was shown in competition at the 2003 Venice Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Adapted from the short story by author Eça de Queiroz, Manoel de Oliveira's poetic drama tells the tale of a beleaguered man named Macário (Ricardo Trêpa), who recounts his romantic woes to a patient neighbor (Leonor Silveira) during a train ride to the Algarve. While working as an accountant in Lisbon, Macário became smitten with the radiant blonde whose window he could spy from his modest office. Her name was Luisa (Catarina Wallenstein), but according to Macário's uncle she was well out of the humble accountant's league. Determined to win her love at all costs, Macário retreats to Cape Verde and attempts to earn enough money to be considered an acceptable suitor. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi