MÁSCARAS

This documentary shows the preparation for and the celebration of the Christmas holidays in an area of Trás-os-Montes, a region in north-eastern Portugal where particularly archaic traditions have survived. The festivities continue from Christmas until Ash Wednesday, including Christmas, Saint Stephen, New Year's, Epiphany and Carnival. The birth, the life and the death of Jesus constitute the subject of a passion play in costume, following an ancient ritual. "In accordance with my wishes, Máscaras was filmed without any contrivances or efforts to obtain aesthetic order. My appearances, inserted throughout the film, are nothing less than signs of meditation. No film is innocent; consequently, an ethnographic film has to be able to be interpreted in different ways" (Noémia Delgado).

Director and editor: Noémia Delgado.
Director of photography: Acácio de Almeida, José Reynès.
Music: Madeira Luís.
Cast: attori non professionisti.
Production company: Instituto Português de Cinema (IPC).