Mother Knows Best

In 1974, a group of men lost their lives in what is still called today the Bloodless Revolution of Portugal.

A homeless man sleeps in front of an empty store when suddenly a vehicle stops and two men start to carry cases inside. Meanwhile the man tries to understand what is going on.

A night watchman spends time on a basketball court throwing a ball into the basket. He has become an expert. He shows his abilities to a simple janitor, who also like him, is there all night.

An exploration of East Timor through the symbolism of the rooster, questioning traditions, confronting ethics and human needs. From rituals to economics and gender, it reveals the complexities of a post-conflict society in one of the youngest countries.

Leo is only twenty, but his life is in black and white. His days always begin at 6:06, with odd jobs and an endless race to get his hands on his next hit. Taking drugs is not just an addiction; it’s a mental loop that keeps Leo trapped in an eternal déjà vu. Each time he tries to break out and escape, he’s always sent back to square one. Until he meets Jo-Jo, an enigmatic girl his same age who speaks French only and drives a camper like she’s on the run from something. Like him, she has deep scars. So Jo-Jo is not an easy way out, but it’s chaos that Leo needs. She has her own demons, and in some way, she can see into Leo’s fractured psyche. They drive off to Portugal together, through dusty, dreamlike landscapes, and there, their souls connect and finally speak the same language. Yet saving each other won’t be easy. Leo struggles with his dependency, while Jo-Jo seems to be one step away from dissolving into thin air – as if she were only there to show Leo the path to take.

A homeless couple occupies a house whose owners are absent. There is a mysterious connection between them and the house that prevents them from leaving it.