Cinema
Aniki-Bóbó
Manoel de Oliveira · 1942
Synopsis
On the banks of the Douro, between Porto and Gaia, a band of poor kids. Carlitos is shy and dreamy, Eduardinho is the leader and fears nothing, and both love Teresinha, the only girl in the group. To please her, Carlitos steals a doll from a shop window and runs across the rooftops at night to bring it to her. The band begins to turn against him.
Context
The film is based on a tale by João Rodrigues de Freitas, a lawyer from Porto and a friend of the director, who shot it at thirty-four on the banks of the river, with children from the city, under the production of António Lopes Ribeiro. It was later seen as a forerunner of Italian neorealism. Released in Lisbon on 18 December 1942, it was coldly received, with critics reproaching it for showing children who lie and steal, and its author waited twenty-one years before making another feature film. The title takes up a nursery rhyme that children sang to draw lots.
Who it is for
A little over an hour, in Portuguese, with children who are not professionals.
Prizes and reception
Coolly received on its release, it was recognised only with time, partly thanks to television, and remains a classic; restored, it was shown in Venice in 2025.
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