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Manoel de Oliveira
Director

Manoel de Oliveira

11 Dec 1908Born
2 Apr 2015Died
106Age at death
79Credits

Biography

Manoel de Oliveira (11 December 1908 - 2 April 2015) was born in Porto, Portugal to Francisco José de Oliveira and Cândida Ferreira Pinto. His family were wealthy industrialists. Oliveira attended school in Galicia, Spain and his goal as a teenager was to become an actor. He enrolled in Italian film-maker Rino Lupo's acting school at age 20, but later changed his mind when he saw Walther Ruttmann's documentary Berlin: Symphony of a City. This prompted him to direct his first film, also a documentary, titledDouro, Faina Fluvial (1931). He also acted in the second Portuguese sound film, A Canção de Lisboa (1933).

Read the full biography

His first feature film came much later, in 1942. Aniki-Bóbó, a portrait of Oporto's street children, was a commercial failure when it opened, and its merit only came to be recognised over time. This drawback forced Oliveira to abandon other film projects he was involved in, and to dedicate himself to running his family vineyard. He re-emerged onto the film scene in 1956 with The Artist and the City, a work that marked a turning point in Oliveira's conception of the cinema. In 1963, O Acto de Primavera (The Rite of Spring), a documentary depicting an annual passion play, marked a turning point for his career. This was shortly followed by A caça (The Hunt), a grim feature film that contrasted with the happy tones of his previous documentary. Despite the widespread acclaim garnered by both films, he would not return to the director's seat until the 1970s. Since 1990 (when he turned 82), he has made at least one film each year.  Oliveira has said that he direct movies for the sheer pleasure of doing it, regardless of critical reaction. He maintains a quiet life away from the spotlights, despite multiple honours such as those of the Cannes, Venice and Montreal film festivals. He has been awarded two Career Golden Lions in 1985 and 2004 and a golden palm for his lifetime achievements in 2008.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2025The Life of MirrorsFilm
  2. 2015A Century of EnergyFilm: Director
  3. 2015Visit, or Memories and ConfessionsFilm: Director, Screenplay
  4. 2014The Old Man of BelemFilm: Director, Screenplay
  5. 2014Chafariz das VirtudesFilm: Director
  6. 2013Invisible WorldFilm: Director, Writer
  7. 2012Historic CentreFilm: Director, Screenplay
  8. 2012The Conquered ConquerorFilm: Director, Screenplay
  9. 2012Gebo and the ShadowFilm: Screenplay, Director
  10. 2012101Film
  11. 2011Hitler in HollywoodFilm
  12. 2011Sem Cura - à saúde de Manoel de OliveiraFilm
  13. 2010The Strange Case of AngelicaFilm: Writer, Director
  14. 2010The Panels of São Vicente de Fora: A Poetic VisionFilm: Director, Screenplay
  15. 2009Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired GirlFilm: Screenplay, Director
  16. 2008O Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa MortaFilm: Director, Writer
  17. 2008Romance de Vila do CondeFilm: Director, Screenplay
  18. 2007To Each His Own CinemaFilm: Director, Writer
  19. 2007Christopher Columbus, The EnigmaFilm: Manuel Luciano (2007), Director, Screenplay
  20. 2007Rencontre UniqueFilm: Director, Screenplay
  21. 2006Belle ToujoursFilm: Director, Writer
  22. 2006O Improvável Não é ImpossívelFilm: (voice), Writer, Director
  23. 2006Magic MirrorFilm: Director, Writer
  24. 2006Conversazione a PortoFilm
  25. 2005Do Visível ao InvísivelFilm: Screenplay, Director
  26. 2004The Fifth EmpireFilm: Director, Screenplay
  27. 2003A Talking PictureFilm: Director, Writer
  28. 2002The Uncertainty PrincipleFilm: Director, Screenplay
  29. 2002MomentFilm: Director
  30. 2001Porto of My ChildhoodFilm: Director, Writer
  31. 2001I’m Going HomeFilm: Director, Screenplay
  32. 2001História do Cinema PortuguêsSeries (3 episodes)
  33. 2000Word and UtopiaFilm: Writer, Director
  34. 1999The LetterFilm: Director, Screenplay
  35. 1998InquietudeFilm: Tango Dancer, Director, Screenplay
  36. 1997Voyage to the Beginning of the WorldFilm: Driver, Director, Writer
  37. 1997A Friendly HandshakeFilm: Director, Screenplay
  38. 1996PartyFilm: Director, Screenplay
  39. 1995The ConventFilm: Director, Writer
  40. 1994Blind Man's BluffFilm: Director, Writer
  41. 1993Oliveira, l'architecteFilm
  42. 1993Abraham's ValleyFilm: Director, Screenplay
  43. 1992Day of DespairFilm: Director, Screenplay
  44. 1991The Divine ComedyFilm: Writer, Screenplay, Director
  45. 1990No, or the Vain Glory of CommandFilm: Narrator, Director, Screenplay
  46. 1990Cinéma Portugais – Un Mode d'EmploiFilm
  47. 1988A Propósito da Bandeira NacionalFilm: Director
  48. 1988The CannibalsFilm: Director, Screenplay
  49. 1986My CaseFilm: Director, Screenplay
  50. 1986Simpósio Internacional de Escultura em PedraFilm: Director
  51. 1986The Satin SlipperFilm: Gentleman bowing with hat, Director, Screenplay
  52. 1984Lisboa CulturalFilm: Director
  53. 1983Nice - À propos de Jean VigoFilm: Director
  54. 1982The Conversation Is OverFilm: Padre
  55. 1981FranciscaFilm: Director, Screenplay
  56. 1981Cinématon XIFilm: N°102
  57. 1981Cinématon n°102 : Manoel de OliveiraFilm
  58. 1979Doomed LoveFilm: Narrator (voice), Director, Screenplay
  59. 1978CinématonFilm: N°102
  60. 1978Doomed LoveSeries: (voice), Writer, Director, Screenplay, Creator (6 episodes)
  61. 1975Benilde or the Virgin MotherFilm: Screaming Madman (voice), Screenplay, Director
  62. 1972Past and PresentFilm: Director, Screenplay
  63. 1965As Pinturas do Meu Irmão JúlioFilm: Screenplay, Director
  64. 1964Villa Verdinho - Uma Aldeia TransmontanaFilm: Director
  65. 1964The HuntFilm: Director, Writer
  66. 1963The Green YearsFilm
  67. 1963Acto da PrimaveraFilm: Director, Screenplay
  68. 1959BreadFilm: Director, Screenplay
  69. 1956The Artist and the CityFilm: Director, Screenplay
  70. 1942Aniki-BóbóFilm: Director, Screenplay
  71. 1941FamalicãoFilm: Director, Writer
  72. 1938Miramar, Praia das RosasFilm: Director, Screenplay
  73. 1938Portugal Já Faz AutomóveisFilm: Director, Writer
  74. 1937Os Últimos Temporais - Cheias do TejoFilm: Director
  75. 1933A Song of LisbonFilm: Carlos
  76. 1932Lisbon statuesFilm: Director, Screenplay
  77. 1932White CoalFilm: Director, Writer
  78. 1931Working on the Douro RiverFilm: Director, Writer
  79. 1928Fátima MilagrosaFilm

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.