Main Cast: Leonor Silveira, Luis Miguel Cintra, Ruy de Carvalho
Release Year: 1993
Country: CH/PT/FR
Run Time: 189 minutes
Plot
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, All Movie Guide
Cast
Leonor Silveira - Ema Cardeano Paiva
Luis Miguel Cintra - Carlo Paiva
Ruy de Carvalho - Paulino Cardeano
Diogo Doria - Fernando Osorio; Felipe Cochofel - Fortunato; Joao Perry - Pedro Dossem; Antonio Reis - Semblano; Isabel Ruth - Ritinha; Teresa Madruga - Simona; Mario Barroso - Narrator; Isabel de Castro - Melo Sister #1; Sofia Alves - Lolota (little girl); Beatriz Batarda - Luisona (little girl) (also young Ema's voice); Miguel Guilherme - Motorcyclist; Julia Buisel - Melo Sister #2; Laura Soveral - Aunt Augusta
Credit
Patricia Plattner - Associate Producer, Isabel Branco - Costume Designer, Manoel de Oliveira - Director, Manoel de Oliveira - Editor, Valerie Loiseleux - Editor, Maria Jose Branco - Production Designer, Mario Barroso - Cinematographer, Paulo Branco - Producer, Henri Maikoff - Sound/Sound Designer, Manoel de Oliveira - Screenwriter, Claude Debussy - Featured Music, Gabriel Fauré - Featured Music, Agustina Bessa-Luis - Book Author
