Manoel de Oliveira

Directing·Dec 11, 1908·Porto, Portugal

Rate

Manoel de Oliveira was born in Porto, Portugal on December 11, 1908, to Francisco José de Oliveira and Cândida Ferreira Pinto. His family were wealthy industrialists. Oliveira attended school in Galicia, Spain and his goal as a teenager was to become an actor. He enrolled in Italian film-maker Rino Lupo's acting school at age 20, but later changed his mind when he saw Walther Ruttmann's documentary Berlin: Symphony of a City. This prompted him to direct his first film, also a documentary, titledDouro, Faina Fluvial (1931). He also acted in the second Portuguese sound film, A Canção de Lisboa (1933). His first feature film came much later, in 1942. Aniki-Bóbó, a portrait of Oporto's street children, was a commercial failure when it opened, and its merit only came to be recognised over time. This drawback forced Oliveira to abandon other film projects he was involved in, and to dedicate himself to running his family vineyard. He re-emerged onto the film scene in 1956 with The Artist and the City, a work that marked a turning point in Oliveira's conception of the cinema. In 1963, O Acto de Primavera (The Rite of Spring), a documentary depicting an annual passion play, marked a turning point for his career. This was shortly followed by A caça (The Hunt), a grim feature film that contrasted with the happy tones of his previous documentary. Despite the widespread acclaim garnered by both films, he would not return to the director's seat until the 1970s. Since 1990 (when he turned 82), he has made at least one film each year. Oliveira has said that he direct movies for the sheer pleasure of doing it, regardless of critical reaction. He maintains a quiet life away from the spotlights, despite multiple honours such as those of the Cannes, Venice and Montreal film festivals. He has been awarded two Career Golden Lions in 1985 and 2004 and a golden palm for his lifetime achievements in 2008.

Film	Credit
The Life of Mirrors2025 · Actor	Actor
Jornal Português (1938-1951)2015 · Self (archive footage)	Self (archive footage)
The Glory of Filmmaking in Portugal2015 · Himself	Himself
A Century of Energy2015 · Director of Photography, Director	Director of Photography, Director
Visit, or Memories and Confessions2015 · Self, Director, Screenplay	Self, Director, Screenplay
The Old Man of Belem2014 · Screenplay, Director	Screenplay, Director
Chafariz das Virtudes2014 · Director	Director
Henri Langlois vu par...2014 · Self	Self
Biette2013 · Self	Self
Invisible World2013 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Historic Centre2012 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
The Conquered Conqueror2012 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Gebo and the Shadow2012 · Screenplay, Director	Screenplay, Director
1012012 · Actor	Actor
Agnès Varda: From Here to There2011 · Self	Self
Hitler in Hollywood2011 · Actor	Actor
Guest2011 · Self	Self
SSem Cura - à saúde de Manoel de Oliveira2011 · Actor	Actor
The Strange Case of Angelica2010 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
The Panels of São Vicente de Fora: A Poetic Vision2010 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl2009 · Screenplay, Director	Screenplay, Director
OO Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa Morta2008 · Director of Photography, Producer, Writer, Director	Director of Photography, Producer, Writer, Director
Romance de Vila do Conde2008 · Director, Director of Photography, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Director of Photography, Screenplay, Producer
Manoel de Oliveira, O Caso Dele2007 · Himself	Himself
To Each His Own Cinema2007 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
The 15th Stone2007 · Himself	Himself
Christopher Columbus, The Enigma2007 · Manuel Luciano (2007), Director, Screenplay	Manuel Luciano (2007), Director, Screenplay
RRencontre Unique2007 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Belle Toujours2006 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
O Improvável Não é Impossível2006 · (voice), Writer, Director	(voice), Writer, Director
No Tempo do Cinema2006 · Himself	Himself
Magic Mirror2006 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Conversazione a Porto2006 · Actor	Actor
Do Visível ao Invísivel2005 · Screenplay, Director	Screenplay, Director
The Fifth Empire2004 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
A Talking Picture2003 · Actor, Director, Writer	Actor, Director, Writer
Agostinho da Silva - A Living Thought2003 · Self	Self
The Uncertainty Principle2002 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
MMoment2002 · Director	Director
Porto of My Childhood2001 · Himself / Narrator / The Thief, Director, Writer	Himself / Narrator / The Thief, Director, Writer
I’m Going Home2001 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Word and Utopia2000 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
The Letter1999 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
Inquietude1998 · Tango Dancer, Director, Screenplay	Tango Dancer, Director, Screenplay
Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember1997 · Self	Self
Voyage to the Beginning of the World1997 · Driver, Director, Writer	Driver, Director, Writer
A Friendly Handshake1997 · Actor, Director, Screenplay	Actor, Director, Screenplay
Party1996 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay