Nha Sunhu Nha Sunhu

Mensagem do Realizador Director Statement
How does the director’s bias influence the representation of the other? Documentary cinema is a powerful tool for portraying the world, but is based on an intrinsically imbalanced relationship: holding the camera also means holding power over how the other is represented. Given the variables of this imbalanced relationship, a process of questioning (and self-questioning) of the gaze, stand-point, and perspective in this representation is crucial. This reflection becomes even more important when there is uneven power in the relationship owing to race or to a colonial past. At a time when it became essential for cinema to hear and portray the voices of those historically and socially under-represented, it is important that their stories cease to be restricted to a prevailing Western and white gaze, and to a system where the entitlement of standing “behind the camera” is preserved and perpetuated. Nha Sunhu is a fictional film based on the real cycle of exploitation of African football players in my home country, Portugal. Subverting expectations from a documental appproach, the narrative turns the spotlight back onto the director, questioning his role: who is the one telling the story and how is the story being told?

Biografia do Realizador Director Biography

José Magro is a director and screenwriter based in Porto, Portugal. His fiction films have been awarded and selected for film festivals all over the world, including Tampere, Vienna, São Paulo, Guadalajara, Melbourne and Cork. He has worked with many distinguished Portuguese directors, namely Manoel de Oliveira, João Pedro Rodrigues, João Rui Guerra da Mata, João Nicolau and Miguel Gonçalves Mendes. In 2019 he was part of the European jury for Go Short – International Short Film Festival Nijmegen, and a jury for the international competition of Queer Lisboa 2020. He was also one of the selected filmmakers for Berlinale Talents program in 2020. Nha Sunhu is José Magro’s latest short film, and he’s currently developing his first feature film.

Distribuição Distribution
AGÊNCIA – PORTUGUESE SHORT FILM AGENCY Distributor Portugal All Rights