Mirror of Life: Manoel de Oliveira 1996—2004

Programmed by Nick Newman, with thanks to Paulo Branco.

“Few cameras stare so intently at things as Oliveira’s”—The Independent

The legend of prolific Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira—that of the world’s oldest working filmmaker, whose career stretched from the silent era to the digital age before he passed away at 106—precedes the genius found in his labyrinthine, decades-spanning oeuvre. Discovery is the order of the day in this series marking the North American debut of 10 fresh restorations. Populated by acting luminaries like John Malkovich, Michel Piccoli, Catherine Deneuve, and Chiara Mastroianni, these cinematic treasures offer glimpses of Oliveira as dramatist, humanist, documentarian, and all-around visionary.