The Heartbreak of Dying in Winter (film)

I want to make the first fiction film in Monchique, a very special place, with a population of great value, which deserve to be recognized.

Being from Monchique and with great pride, I always wanted to film in Monchique. After my grandmother's death, my grandfather went downhill and found himself in a moment of self-reflection about his place in the world. This drastic and sudden change in his life made him question the meaning and motivation of continuing to live. This story is sensitively inspired by that moment and is called "I hate dying in winter". Categorically, it is a dramatic story, with a slight touch of comedy.

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Synopsis: After the death of his wife, old Domingos does not accept the fact that Carmen's body will be buried in a random grave in the Monchique cemetery. As a last tribute, Domingos does everything to grant a dignified grave, but in the
process, ends up ignoring his own family and what really matters. This priority highlights the fact that this
manages to overcome and accept the death of his only life partner. It is a story about old values, about tradition and culture and, at the same time, a reflection on change.

Going forward means change, it means different looks, other points of view, renewing and innovating, just like the village of Monchique itself. A small village typical of the interior of the country, with a population made up mostly of elderly people and struggling to keep their younger community. Traditions and customs are the soul of a people, they are part of its genetics and are the best representation of its identity. Culture mixes with religion in the formation of values and principles. All these are important to remember, but just as Domingos must move forward, the small and aging Monchique must also renew itself and think about the future, adapting to modernity.

I met with some Monchique entities, from the Chamber to the Board and some private entities. They all received me very well and were very willing to help me. In this way, I got some very important support, from authorizations to film, food, accommodation, transport and even some filming equipment from an Algarve production company, New Light Pictures. One of the most important and still missing elements is a financial fund to pay the team and actors. That's why I address you, hoping that it's in your interest to be part of the first fiction to be filmed in this very special place.

With the film, I would like to portray some traditional customs, some typical objects (scissors chairs, bolo tacho, wicker baskets) as if it were a small cinematographic postcard of Monchique, with a subtle message that the town needs to adapt to modern times , attracting young families that continue these beautiful and important traditions that make the village a special place worth visiting.

This is actually one of the main motivations that lead me to produce this film, that is, to bring a cultural project of this type to Monchique, involving as many local people as possible. I would also like to do an exhibition for all the people of Monchique when the film is ready, promoting not only the film, but some other artists who are friends of Monchique, musicians, writers, actors, etc. This project could be the first of a collaboration between Monchique artists inspired by the land to promote it and give it the due value.
Part of the technical team will be local and other members from Italy, the actors are almost all from Monchique or the Algarve, with the exception of the protagonist José Eduardo, an actor with more than 50 years of experience in television and cinema. I will involve the senior choral group from Monchique, some artists such as Meire Gomes, Susy Águas, Cristina Viana and Guilherme Lopes.

José Eduardo - actor protagonista

Help me reach the necessary amount to be able to pay the whole team, produce this film and capture this moment in Monchique in a short film that will circulate in national and international festivals, promoting this village of my heart a little more.

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About the author

Hi, I'm Gonçalo, I'm from Monchique (Algarve) and when I was 11 I watched Kubrick's great work, 2001: A Space Odyssey, for the first time. It was then that I better understood what cinema was and that fascinated me so much. 14 years later I decided it was the only thing I wanted to do professionally. I lived in Romania and Poland where I developed my sense of observation and creativity. I returned to Lisbon to study cinema at Universidade Lusófona, where I deepened my writing and directing component. I made some award-winning short films and took part in some national and international festivals. This will be my most personal and intimate work, I want to do it for the love of cinema, for the love of my grandparents and as a reminder of respect and gratitude to all grandparents in Monchique.

Budget and due dates

Since it is a relatively simple film, with a mostly realistic style, with locations already removed in a way consistent with the story, most of the actors are locals and relatively limited technical equipment, the film's budget should be around €8000. Logistic support is provided by our partners, Luar da Fóia, Monchique City Council, Monchique Parish Council and Mara Reis local accommodation. In the past scene, there will be vintage cars, courtesy of João Vairinhos. Some of the filming equipment will be provided by New Light Pictures and post-production, as well as international distribution, will be handled by Save The Cut and Son Of A Pitch.

But cinema is not only made with locations, lights and cameras. There is an intense human strength that drives him to reach the big screen. In this way, precisely, the budget of the film mostly covers the payment of the technical team and actors, clarified in these points:

• Payment to the technical team: 4000€
• Payment to actors: 2500€
• Equipment: €1000
• Transport, decoration, wardrobe: 500€

The script was written in 2020 but the film's pre-production only started in 2022. Filming is scheduled for April 2nd to 5th, 2023. Then post-production should take approximately 3 to 4 months, which means that the film should be ready in July.

Images

Documents

• Dossier de Apresentação do projecto

  pdf • 3.21 MB