'Pátio da Saudade' premieres today, starring Sara Matos. We spoke with the cast.

It was in the summer of last year that the recordings of 'O Pátio da Saudade' took place, the latest feature film by director Leonel Vieira, which hits cinemas this Thursday, August 14th.

In the lead role is Sara Matos, playing the character Vanessa, and the actress recalled to Notícias ao Minuto the "immense heat" that was present when they shot the film, without forgetting the "fun" that the recordings were.

As the synopsis tells us, "Vanessa (played by Sara Matos) is a television actress who receives the unexpected news of the death of a distant aunt from Porto, who left her in her will an old, ruined theater, a symbol of the golden age of Revista à Portuguesa.

Despite her agent, Tozé Leal (played by José Pedro Vasconcelos), insisting on selling the building, Vanessa feels deeply connected to the theater's memory and decides to gather her friends Joana (Ana Guiomar) and Ribeiro (Manuel Marques) to put on a show capable of resurrecting the theater's former glory. However, her ambition faces resistance from Armando (José Raposo), the owner of a rival theater who will do anything to stop her dream.

Speaking about her experience on this project, Sara Matos remarked that "it was spectacular." "It was a very lighthearted, very fun shoot. I was surrounded by comedians, actors who do comedy spectacularly well. I'm not exactly the character who has to make people laugh; I'm the guiding thread."

Sara Matos' character, Vanessa, is part of the cast of a sitcom that gives her "visibility, recognition, and financial stability," but "aspires to more." This is because she ends up being associated with this role in the sitcom as a "label."

When asked by Notícias ao Minuto if this happens in her real life, the actress replied: "In my case, I don't feel like it has happened because I've been working a lot in all three areas. But the truth is that it's also important to understand that we have a character who is asked several times, 'You're the girl in the yellow bikini, aren't you?'"

What ends up being objectified here? "It's not quite that. The truth is that Vanessa is at a stage in her life where that's the work she's exhibited so far, so it's natural that people remember her precisely because of that. If we don't take it so personally, it's natural for people to ask, 'Are you the girl in the yellow bikini,' because they know her. And this is where she begins her desire to go to castings, audition… Do something different.

Any of us feels this way throughout life: we want to take risks, we want to do something different, and that applies to everything: professionally, romantically, in mother-child relationships. And that's fair, everything's fine with that, but we can't forget the work we've done up until that point. It's also important to create a space of peace and understand that it's not out of the blue that people ask, 'I know her from the yellow bikini.' It's because her structure, her life, her artistic journey, was very much based on that kind of format. If we don't jump in together right away, it's justifiable, in this case."

'O Pátio da Saudade,' says Sara Matos, is a film "ideal for summer" and "for the whole family." "Especially now during this holiday season, when we spend hours at the beach. You can do something different and go to the movies."

In addition to this film, Sara Matos shares that she's about to see a series premiere on HBO, which she stars in, but she didn't reveal any further details, only stating that it's a drama. She also reveals that she has more projects set to premiere early next year.

José Raposo: "The magazine will always have its place as a critical voice of what is happening socially and politically in the country and the world"

José Raposo plays Armando, and the actor was very excited about the film's inclusion of revue theater - a genre he has a great affection for.

Among the praise for Leonel Vieira who, he says, "is a great director, director of actors and a person who has a very comprehensive knowledge of cinema", José Raposo tells Notícias ao Minuto the story that makes up this 'O Pátio da Saudade'.

"It has a bit to do with the decline of the revue, in the sense that it became a decadent form of theater. The film portrays the importance it has always had in relation to the identity of the Portuguese—the Portuguese revue. There is a revue always on at the Maria Vitoria Theater, but there were times when there were four, five, six theaters putting on Portuguese revues."

Addressing a more specific point about his character, which begins with a certain envy but ends with the unity of the artistic class, he comments: "It has a lot to do with this, which is what is increasingly necessary, for people to unite, to leave behind niches, shells, cliques, which happens a lot in the artistic world - there's no point in saying no, because it's true. I've always fought against this, I don't belong to any of these niches or any of these groups. I've always done everything because I'm an actor, what I want is to act."

"The revue is seen as a genre associated with the old, fascist regime. And this is incredibly stupid and unfair because, precisely during the fascist era, the revue was the only show where, even with censorship, one could criticize the political regime —with jokes, with snippets, everything was a bit between the lines, which motivated the writers and actors to be more creative and not be too direct in their criticism. They delivered their remarks in a very subtle way. And the audience picked up on all of this, which is why they loved going to the revue because that's where they saw themselves," emphasizes José Raposo.

"The fact that we fortunately had a revolution and freedom existed made the magazine much more open to criticism, so it couldn't hide it. Many people say that was partly the reason the magazine began to decline. I don't think so, because there's no greater reason to criticize everything that's happening today. So much so that they use political and social criticism a lot in stand-up, for example. The magazine will always have a place as a voice of criticism of what's happening socially and politically in the country and the world," adds the actor.

However, he highlights, "the magazine never died", especially because, he emphasizes, there are several projects of this theatrical genre spread throughout the country, but more "regional, amateur".

"It's funny that even though it originated in France, it's a type of show that has adapted very well to our way of being and living, to the Portuguese way of being. We're very much into jokes, into playful humor. Playful, not ordinary," he reflects.

The actor also takes the opportunity to leave a 'message' to the Government. "I believe that sooner or later, revue theater will make a big comeback because it has everything it needs to be a great show. The big problem in Portugal is budgets. It's always money; there's no money for culture, there's no money. Revues, moreover, are glamorous shows, requiring investment. But I agree that they should be considered commercial. It's undoubtedly a commercial genre, for the general public, to make money through box office sales, not subsidies. Subsidies, that's another story. Revues have never relied on any subsidies. I think, however, that given the fragile state of this genre of theater, the State—given its importance, precisely because it's a theater that closely identifies with our culture—should do as the Spanish did, establishing a National Zarzuela Company. Zarzuela no longer has the power it had a few years ago, as the revue had here, and they created the National Company. Why not a National Portuguese Revue Company? It would make perfect sense."

Furthermore, the actor recalled: "Raul Solnado created a group in which we went to the Assembly to talk to politicians to see if we could form a national Portuguese revue company, which made perfect sense, but the politicians here don't give a damn. Not even about culture, much less about a specific genre. It's very complicated, unfortunately."

Ana Guiomar: "I would like to do much more cinema than what I do"

In conversation with Notícias ao Minuto , Ana Guiomar does not fail to address one of the points of the film, which is the search for "erudite" projects by actors, creating a bridge to the reality outside the cameras.

"We're always looking for projects, sometimes, that are more erudite or that validate us more, and here there's that feeling. That feeling and that eagerness, that search for intellectuality is very interesting, at least for me as an actress, and it made me think about it a lot."

When asked about the much-talked-about labels that sometimes 'associate' some actors, the actress confesses: "I'd like to do a lot more movies than I do. I'd like to do a lot more series than I do. I also have a connection to TVI now, so obviously I won't be able to work for other channels."

"What I feel is a great deal of confidence when you start working with people. If I were a director and chose A, B, or C, and those people didn't fail me, I would continue working with them. I spent 11 years in the same theater, and I think that has a lot to do with that, with confidence," she explains.

For Ana Guiomar, 'O Pátio da Saudade' was filmed after she finished TVI's 'Festa é Festa'. "It was exhausting, it wasn't a long film—it took a month and a half or two. It was a lot of fun."

"The sets are gorgeous, the photography is spectacular, the writing is light, the cast is great because we all knew each other and respected each other a lot, and we ended up being able to play within our characters and build something. It was really cool. Leonel films very well, he knows exactly what he wants, and he directs the actors exactly how he wants…" he adds.

As for projects, the actress is filming a new soap opera with TVI, but "can't talk about it." This year, she'll focus on that soap opera, as she has filming planned until December—a "very exhausting period." Even so, she still hopes to return to the stage, but only next year.

Gilmário Vemba: "I'm achieving things I wasn't expecting. And this film is also a testament to that."

Currently more focused on his career as a comedian, Gilmário Vemba is "very happy" with the "opportunity" that Leonel Vieira gave him by joining the cast of 'O Pátio da Saudade'.

"Normally, those of us who come from theater and then move into comedy, we end up in that box," he comments, adding that this is also "a theme of the film, of the actors being put in a box." But here he managed to play a "'normal' character," leaving out comedian Gilmário Vemba.

Being part of a panel of well-known actors, some from the 'old guard,' was one of the highlights for Gilmário Vemba. "I remember seeing Alexandre Lencastre and I couldn't believe I was going to act alongside her. She's an icon, a reference," he recalls when discussing the film's recordings, not forgetting other big names like José Raposo (among others).

"Many of those there are part of my comedy history, people who were part of 'Os Malucos do Riso', people who were part of 'Levanta-te e Ri', people who were part of series and soap operas I saw in Angola... Being able to share the screen with these people is truly spectacular."

But this was not Gilmário Vemba's first experience in cinema, as his debut took place in Angola, where he was born, with the film 'A Dívida'.

"That happened during the pandemic. I got together with some friends and a Mozambican director and we made a film called 'The Debt.' It's a completely different project, with a low budget, but it's fun. Even under those conditions, we were still a box office success in Angola," he says.

Regarding the seventh art in his home country, he shares: "We've had cinema more or less democratized for a short time, but even so, it's not yet available throughout the country. Even in Luanda, it's still difficult for many people to access cinema."

Portugal is where he has found success and built a more solid career. "Portugal surprised me positively. I wasn't expecting to achieve this in such a short time. I fell right into the right place at the right time, and it worked out spectacularly for me. In a very short time, I became a beloved figure for many Portuguese people, who attend my shows. I feel the affection of the people who enjoy having me in their projects.

I'm achieving things I wasn't expecting. And this film is also a testament to that, being able to be in theaters, with a lineup packed with incredible figures from the world of cinema and theater. Thank you for that, Portugal."

José Pedro Vasconcelos: "It's a film about comedians, made by comedians, and it could be a very lucky bet"

The cast, among many actors, also includes José Pedro Vasconcelos, who also spoke with Notícias ao Minuto , as this is his return to cinema and, once again, with Leonel Vieira. It's worth remembering that he was also part of 'O Pátio das Cantigas', from 2015.

About this 'O Pátio da Saudade', he says that it is a "very interesting project because it talks about actors, theater, television..."

"It's an analog comedy project in the sense that it's popular, it talks about magazines, and at a time when everything is so fast and instantaneous, I miss seeing comedians. It's a film about comedians, made by comedians, and it could be a very successful venture," he praises.

In addition to this film, which premieres today, August 14, in Portuguese theaters, José Pedro Vasconcelos will return with the play "Escolhas" in September at the Villaret Theater in Lisbon, which will then travel to Porto and take to the stage at the Sá da Bandeira Theater. He also says the second season of the RTP program "Alguém Tem de o Fazer" is set to premiere soon.

When asked about the fact that he has projects in both acting and presenting, José Pedro Vasconcelos states: "For me, there is no other way to do this."

"I started doing professional theater at 15, but I always wanted to do many other things, and I never lost that desire, that drive, and that's what fuels me. And that helps me immensely as an actor. The more lives you live, the better you'll eventually be able to do your job. Actors like me who work little, when they do work, are very happy. So, the fact that this film is premiering makes me very happy," he concludes.

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