Branca de Neve

This is the work of a genius. An honest and genuine piece of art that caused so much controversy because people are too "globalised" to accept something so far from the commercial standards as this one. This is a film with no compromises.

One of the most beautiful films ever. Because it is almost entirely a black picture, with no images, it is kind of regarded as a hoax. It was polemic in Portugal for the director released a picture with no images, leaving the viewer in front of a black screen. But the dialogues are just great, the text is beautiful, and the fact it has no images creates a magical moment for anyone assisting to it.

The author shows that we can «see» a movie even if there are not images in the screen: you can «see» what happens following the dialogs and the description of the scenes. Like a story before sleep in a dark room. Anyway, there are some color plans (a few minutes): clowds on the sky, stone figures and César Monteiro itself in front of a wonderfull tree in the Lisbon's botanic garden.

"Branca de neve" is the greatest movie I saw or heard in the noir genre, because it is almost filmed in pitch black. João César Monteiro has combined the best that radio has to offer with different shades of black. This way we pay much more attention to the dialogues. The director is considered a genius by a small minority in Portugal and I finally understood why, because he never cared for the pressure around him. At an interview after the movie he told the press that he couldn't care less about the people opinion about the movie and that's the way things should be. I rather pay to watch a dark screen than to watch a movie starring Val Kilmer. Enjoy the darkness...

It's fundamental ideia is the choice between the horrors darkened by emotions or the beauty enlightened by reason. The director makes his choice and invites the audience to choose.

The movie has an original communication technique. And, like all artistic expression, may or may not reach the spectator. As it is so fresh and a violent cut on the established way of communication through cinema, it produces a lot of negative response.

Because it's so original, because it's Wasler adaptation is so beautiful, I recommend this movie as a philosophical experience.