Manoel de Oliveira

Director, Escritor, Editor, Actor, Productor

11 de diciembre de 1908 — 2 de abril de 2015 (106 años)
Manoel de Oliveira was born in Porto, Portugal on December 11, 1908, to Francisco José de Oliveira and Cândida Ferreira Pinto. His family were wealthy industrialists. Oliveira attended school in Galicia, Spain and his goal as a teenager was to become an actor. He enrolled in Italian film-maker Rino Lupo's acting school at age 20, but later changed his mind when he saw Walther Ruttmann's documentary Berlin: Symphony of a City. This prompted him to direct his first film, also a documentary, titledDouro, Faina Fluvial (1931). He also acted in the second Portuguese sound film, A Canção de Lisboa (1933). His first feature film came much later, in 1942. Aniki-Bóbó, a portrait of Oporto's street children, was a commercial failure when it opened, and its merit only came to be recognised over time. This drawback forced Oliveira to abandon other film projects he was involved in, and to dedicate himself to running his family vineyard. He re-emerged onto the film scene in 1956 with The Artist and the City, a work that marked a turning point in Oliveira's conception of the cinema. In 1963, O Acto de Primavera (The Rite of Spring), a documentary depicting an annual passion play, marked a turning point for his career. This was shortly followed by A caça (The Hunt), a grim feature film that contrasted with the happy tones of his previous documentary. Despite the widespread acclaim garnered by both films, he would not return to the director's seat until the 1970s. Since 1990 (when he turned 82), he has made at least one film each year.  Oliveira has said that he direct movies for the sheer pleasure of doing it, regardless of critical reaction. He maintains a quiet life away from the spotlights, despite multiple honours such as those of the Cannes, Venice and Montreal film festivals. He has been awarded two Career Golden Lions in 1985 and 2004 and a golden palm for his lifetime achievements in 2008.

Conocido por

  • Una película hablada
    Una película hablada2003
  • Vuelvo a casa
    Vuelvo a casa2001
  • El extraño caso de Angélica
    El extraño caso de Angélica2010
  • Aniki Bóbó
    Aniki Bóbó1942
  • El valle de Abraham
    El valle de Abraham1993
  • Singularidades de una chica rubia
    Singularidades de una chica rubia2009
  • Viaje al principio del mundo
    Viaje al principio del mundo1997
  • A cada uno su cine (Chacun son cinéma)
    A cada uno su cine (Chacun son cinéma)2007
  • La carta
    La carta1999
  • Belle toujours
    Belle toujours2006
  • El convento
    El convento1995
  • No, o la vanagloria de mandar
    No, o la vanagloria de mandar1990
  • Palabra y utopía
    Palabra y utopía2000
  • Gebo et l'ombre
    Gebo et l'ombre2012
  • Oporto de mi infancia
    Oporto de mi infancia2001
  • Francisca
    Francisca1981
  • Los caníbales
    Los caníbales1988
  • Party
    Party1996
  • Inquietud
    Inquietud1998
  • El principio de la incertidumbre
    El principio de la incertidumbre2002

Filmography