Cinema
Morning Undersea
Manhã Submersa
Lauro António · 1980
Synopsis
A rich, devout widow, Dona Estefânia, takes under her protection António, a boy from a poor family in the Beira, and decides to make him a priest; for his mother, this is a promotion and a secure future. Sent to the seminary against his will and with no vocation, the boy leaves the misery of the fields for a house with a harsh education, where doubts begin.
Context
The book, published in 1954, draws on Vergílio Ferreira's adolescence at the Fundão seminary; the writer himself plays the seminary's rector in the film. The film exists in two forms: a four-episode series broadcast on television from the autumn of 1979, and the cinema version, presented at the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in May 1980. It opened the series of Portuguese releases of 1980 and was the one that met with the most general agreement; it was released in France in 1989.
Who it is for
A colour feature film, in Portuguese, of a little over two hours; there is also a four-episode version for television.
Prizes and reception
Special diploma at the Moscow festival in 1981, good critical reception and reasonable commercial success; the film gave momentum to Portuguese cinema of those years.
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