António e Catarina - True/False Film Fest

António e Catarina

Under cover of the night, “António” and “Catarina” dance a pas de deux in this unsettling character study.
Director: Cristina Hanes
Runtime: 0:40
In-person: director Cristina Haneș (Antonio e Catarina), director Sophy Romvari (“Pumpkin Movie”)
Fest Year: 2018
An apartment in Lisbon, under cover of the night. Outside, predatory men of all ages loiter by a strip club. Inside, young director Cristina Haneș films her much older subject, Augusto, who calls her “Catarina.” In return, Haneș refers to him as “António.” Over the course of three years, Haneș returns repeatedly to film. Who is taking advantage of whom? With chiaroscuro photography, this deftly edited play of desire, power, and friendship pushes beyond the surface, brilliantly questioning if even reprobates can have genuine relationships with women that aren’t based on sexual domination or voyeurism. Plays with “Pumpkin Movie” (10 min.), in which director Sophy Romvari and her best friend carve jack-o’-lanterns while trading creepy stories, and “Mon Amour, Mon Ami” (dir. Adriano Valerio, 16 min.), which stars Fouad and Daniela, a couple in Italy who stick together despite — or perhaps because of — obvious challenges. (AS)