Sculpting the Spirits (2014)

This story is about the magical world of the Bijagós people whose close relationship with spirits and nature informs their daily life and every decision taken by the community.

Their belief that man, nature and spirits are equal and interdependent makes the Bijagós a lost paradise. It is through sculpture that the intricate relationship of the Bijagós people with nature and spirits is best expressed.

Banca, a famous sculptor of Iras (spirits), feeling tired, old and worried about the future of a culture in profound transformation, does his last sculpture instructing his son in the hope he will take over.

Guided by a storyteller and our characters’ voice Sculpting the Spirits is a journey exploring how women embody spirits while men sculpt or perform them.

Screening Formats: HDCam 16:9 Colour/Stereo

Highlights:
OFFICIAL SELECTION – Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival India 2015
WINNER – Best Film on Survival of Indigenous People – Parnu International Film Festival Estonia 2015

Screenings:
SCREENING – Gulbenkian museum Lisbon – September 2014
SCREENING – IDFA Doc for sales 2014
SCREENING – Portuguese Cultural Centre Bissau – April 2015
SCREENING – AfrikaPlay Exhibition Lisbon – April 2015
SCREENING – Royal Anthropological Institute UK 2015

Links:
Official Website
LX Filmes (Co-Producer)