Embassy of Portugal in Israel

Details

24 June 2022

Details

27 May 2022

This Weekend:

World renowned performer Cesária Évora in a new and intimate documentary. With previously unseen footage and insights into the singer's life, the film follows the struggles and success of the Barefoot Diva. Her voice took her from poverty to stardom but her only dream was to be free.

Festival Doc Aviv: https://www.docaviv.co.il/2022-en/

Information about the film:

https://www.docaviv.co.il/2022-en/films/cesaria-evora/

"The importance of making a film about such an incredible African woman hit me ten years ago on the day after Cesária’s funeral. I stood outside my house and saw the sadness in people's eyes. At that moment, I started thinking: how many films are there about black women, over 50, living in Africa, who became an international icon and were able to change their country? And how did a poor, black woman, old and overweight, manage to succeed in an industry obsessed with beauty and youth? As a journalist, for 20 years I’ve been telling stories of people, especially women, many from Africa. Cesária is the perfect narrative - a woman who challenged fate and broke all prejudices.” (Ana Sofia Fonseca - Director )

About the Director:

Storytelling is her way of life. Founder of the producer company Carrossel Produções, Ana Sofia Fonseca is a multifaceted professional - director, journalist, producer and a writer. She has more than 20 years of storytelling experience. She started her career in journalism and has a solid experience in television and press, signing awarded features, longreads and documentary series.

Some years ago, she took up her old love for documentary filmmaking. In 2018, she premiered her first documentary feature film, which was one of the most watched documentaries of the year in Portuguese cinemas and went through the official selection of international film festivals.

Soon, she dedicated herself to compelling human stories, themes of human rights, mainly about women, and stories from the colonial time. To take a breather from so much work on tougher subjects, she started writing and filming about wine. And she fell in love with this world.

Her work has been distinguished with dozens of awards in Portugal, such as Gazeta Award, AMI Journalism Against Indifference, UNESCO Journalism Human Rights & Integration, Corações com Coroa and Hamilton Ribeiro in Brazil. Her work was nominated to the official selection of DOC Miami Film Festival, Monte-Carlo Television Festival, International Wine Film Festival (USA), EDOC Encuentros Del Otro Cine (Ecuador) and won the Jury Grand Prix at MOST International Wine Film Festival.