To Let the Night Fall

Many cities or countries have a distinct malaise. They are places that could be Portugal, so sunk in a painful longing of the past, and where each tension of the present is only the tip of an iceberg that is explained in successive retreats that can go straight until origin of the species, at least. This feeling common to many latitudes is often presented as a diagnosis, a denial of a painful present as opposed to the desire to return to a glorious past.

In a natural crisis scenario, the entire population of Azores is forced to evict due to an uncontrolled plague of hydrangeas, a common flower in these islands. Two young soldiers, bound to the beauty of the landscape, guide us to the stories of sadness of those forced to leave and the inherent desire to resist by inhabiting the islands. The filmic wandering becomes a nostalgic and political reflection on territorial belonging and identity, and the roles we assume in the places we came from.

Follows Dan, a young Venezuelan man currently living in Lisbon, who collects magic mushrooms in the forest and distributes them in the city to those in need of help – like a New Age Robin Hood – using pigeons as carriers.

Who is Sycorax? The first character in Shakespeare's "Tempest" to set foot on the island. The problem is that she has no voice. She is barely mentioned by Prospero as a crooked, old, wicked witch who vilely locked Ariel, the spirit of the air, in a tree. But why would she do that? Here, we wouldn't believe Prospero so much.

Ceramic dildos intended to go beyond cis-normative sex toys; the forbidden love of Josefa and Maria during the Inquisition; a singing narrator… Such are the elements that make up Dildotectonics. A masterful blend of time and place, this film gives free rein to a search for pleasure that is free from all normative constraints.

A scientist tells us that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. The feelings of disappointment and nostalgia, and the impossibility of being able to go back to certain moments of his life, make him want to find in the story of David an answer for whatever exists beyond science and reason.

João, an actress from Lisbon, as she stars in a biopic about Liberada, a gender-nonconforming figure persecuted by the Portuguese Inquisition in the 18th century. The film's production becomes a battleground as João clashes with the director over how Liberada’s legacy should be portrayed. These tensions deepen as João's dreams are increasingly haunted by Liberada's ghost, blurring the lines between past and present. When the director succumbs to a mysterious paralysis, leaving the film unfinished, João is left to navigate the unfolding chaos. She faces unanswerable questions, not only about the film's future but also about her own connection to Liberada’s spirit and story.

Gabi believes in her ability to act in times of injustice, relying on her physical abilities. One day, Gabi finds out that her brother, Daniel, is a victim of bullying in their neighbourhood. Suffering from unexpected outbreaks of sleepwalking, he disappears from home during the night. While trying to avenge him, Gabi realizes that perhaps all the coinciding events related to her brother are a test made by ghosts of the past.

A group of performers – some with, some without disabilities – explore the island of Madeira, where the rich flora and fauna, artificial intelligences and underwater beings all make collective mischief.

Love, fear and anxiety. A couple spends their last night together, in Lisbon, before one of them leaves for another country. A romantic night gives way to unspoken tensions in their life's turbulent present and the world's uncertain future.

A “non-stop party”, celebrated in night spots, meeting places, places where bodies mingle and people dance, an adventure in the immense loneliness of the world.

Drawing on comments about YouTube relaxation videos for people who are alone and/or cannot sleep, and footage of the moon captured on super 16 mm film transferred into digital form, moooooon imagines a transformation of the physical stages of the moon, speculating about the possibility of its materiality being fluid.

A Guest + A Host = A Ghost is as free as it is associative.

A documentary about the world of portuguese cinema, with interviews with some critics and directors.