Adriano Luz Movies
When a wealthy and predominant family inherits a beautiful historic home in a tiny Portuguese village, local superstition claims that they have also inherited a deadly curse in director Tiago Guedes' atmospheric frightener. Dr. Monteiro has always given his wife and children the very best that money can buy, but after inheriting a sprawling estate in the countryside he ignores their pleas to sell it for a profit and instead decides to move the family in. It doesn't take long for the family to realize that the superstitious locals view the house as cursed, and as a series of ominous events begin to unfold it becomes frighteningly apparent that there may be some element of truth to the dreadful rumors. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adriano Luz, Manuela Couto, (more)
- 2005
The complex relationship between master and servant is explored in director João Botelho's adaptation of Denis Diderot's popular novel Jacques le Fataliste et Son Maître. As Tiago (Rogério Samora) drives his master (André Gomes) through the Portuguese countryside to an unspecified destination, the traveling pair embark on a series of highly philosophical discussions. Flowing with tales of his life in the military and previous sexual escapades, Tiago trades a series of tales with his rapt passenger, including the story of a vengeful spurned lover who plots revenge on the nobleman who rejected her by transforming a prostitute into a society lady and convincing him to marry the tainted bride. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rogério Samora, André Gomes, (more)
- 2001
A woman mourning the loss of her child demands to know the truth about his death in this realistic drama. Cidalia (Rita Blanco) is a woman born in Portugal who now lives in France and is intensely devoted to her husband and children. When her son dies while caught in the middle of a shootout between police and criminals, Cidalia is distraught and demands to know the truth about what happened. The police aren't especially helpful, telling her little more than the shot which killed him was not fired by the police, but Cidalia demands to know more. Cidalia mounts a one-woman crusade to get the police to open the files on the case involving her son's death, and despite the misgivings of her sister (Teresa Madruga), the preoccupation of her husband (Adriano Luz) with his financial woes, and the anger of many of her fellow immigrants, Cidalia refuses to back down. Ganhar A Vida was screened at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Un Certain Regard program. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adriano Luz, Teresa Madruga, (more)
- 1998
Joao Botelho wrote and directed this Portuguese-French-Danish comedy with a theme of money and a cobweb of interrelated tales. Young Jesus (Joaquim Oliviera) is taken on a vacation by his parents (Rita Blanco, Adriano Luz) to a deserted beach resort. They accidentally fall into overnight wealth after Jesus digs in the sand, uncovering a large drug stash. Others characters intersecting here include an alcoholic actress, a philandering banker, a general trafficking in arms, priests who close their church and head north as hitchhikers, politicians who watch an all-girl production of Julius Caesar, and beggars who recite a children's story in a huge heap of trash. Shown in competition at the 1998 Venice Film Festival and the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joaquim Oliveira, Adriano Luz, (more)
