In a statement sent to Lusa, Persona Non Grata Pictures said that “A Bela América” will be shown in the International Perspective section of the show, which takes place between October 19th and November 1st, and whose program this year includes films from 96 countries .After “Embargo” and “Pedro e Inês”, “A Bela América” is the third film by director António Ferreira to be selected at the International Film Festival in São Paulo, “the biggest cinematographic event in Brazil”, highlighted the producer. “A Bela América”, a Portuguese-Brazilian co-production with the participation of Canal Brasil, will premiere in Brazilian theaters right after the festival, on November 2nd, revealed Persona Non Grata Pictures. The film premiered in Portuguese cinemas on October 5th. The film, shot entirely in Coimbra, tells the story of Lucas (Estêvão Antunes), a “humble and talented cook”, and América (São José Correia), a television star candidate for president, whose lives intersect after an eviction that leaves the protagonist and his mother homeless, distributor NOS said in September.”A Bela América” is a “dramatic comedy” that intersects with a love story, having as a backdrop to social inequalities and the idea of meritocracy in contemporary society, the company added in a statement. The film confronts the viewer with a dilemma: “to what extent, it is in our hands to shape the line of destiny that is drawn for us at birth”. Speaking to Lusa, director António Ferreira explained that the original idea is around 20 years old and that it was supposed to be the project he would carry out after “Forget everything I told you”, his first feature film , whose script he wrote half-heartedly with César dos Santos Silva, with whom he once again shares credit for the script.”We decided to recover it, but with brutal changes, and we took the opportunity to mature the idea”, he said, highlighting that the issue of “the fight of classes persists and, perhaps, is even more evident”. For the director, films “are tools for raising awareness”, considering that “A Bela América” ends up addressing “serious issues, such as the housing crisis or inequality” or populism, seeking to dismantle “the seduction mechanisms of politicians”, based on the character América.António Ferreira understands his new film as “a sad comedy”, addressing “contemporary themes with irony and humor”.
