Voyage to the Beginning of the World
The extraordinary journey of this actor, a leading figure in Italian and European cinema for over three decades, brings us back to the heart of the most demanding auteur cinema, as well as to the most inventive, joyful, and iconic popular films. With a unique sense of style and a casual elegance, he became one of the most accomplished embodiments of the screen actor.
Winner of a FIPRESCI Prize, 1997 Cannes Film Festival
Afonso is an actor born of a Portuguese father and a French mother. He sets off in search of his roots by visiting his deceased father's native village. He goes there by car, accompanied by a few actors and Manoel, the director with whom he is to shoot a film. During the journey, two narratives intertwine: the story of Manoel's childhood and Afonso's account of his father's youth.

Manoel de Oliveira
Manoel de Oliveira was a Portuguese film director and screenwriter. He first began making films in 1927, when he and some friends attempted to make a film about World War I. In 1931, he completed his first film Douro, Faina Fluvial, a documentary about his home city Porto made in the city-symphony genre. He made his feature film debut in 1942 with Aniki-Bóbó and continued to make shorts and documentaries for the next 30 years. In 1971, Oliveira directed his second feature narrative film, Past and Present, a social satire that both set the standard for his film career afterwards and gained him recognition in the global film community. He continued making films of growing ambition throughout the 1970s and 1980s, gaining critical acclaim and numerous awards. Beginning in the late 1980s, he was one of the most prolific working film directors and made an average of one film per year past the age of 100. In March 2008, he was reported to be the oldest active film director in the world. Among his numerous awards were the Career Golden Lion from the 61st Venice International Film Festival, an Honorary Palme d’or for his lifetime achievements in 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and the French Legion of Honor.
