The everyday monotony. Bureaucratic work, the shared custody of her daughter. Until her mother’s death underlines how much Helena lives in a middle space, between birth and death. The clarity that mourning brings, through nostalgic but humorous eyes, leads to new considerations about how to live the rest of her days.
Is it possible to see our own life (and that of our friends) through a film? Cidade Rabat by Susana Nobre does just that. It looks at a very specific microcosm that is the life of an independent film producer and shows that life and work are one single thing, and this is our daily life. But the most intelligent thing about this film is that this microcosm is projected towards universality: the precariousness and difficulty of meeting expectations and our capacity to respond to new challenges are themes that cross today (and unfortunately) all generations. Premiered at the last Berlin Film Festival, this film shows a very precise and meticulous eye, suggesting that Susana Nobre continues to be one of the most interesting filmmakers of her generation. (Miguel Valverde)