Africa Top Success Ils font l'Afrique
The movie « ALDA AND MARIA » by the Angolan director, Pocas Pascoal, will come out in France on 14th January 2015. The full-length film takes the televiewers to the shanty towns of Lisbon of the 80s. It recounts the adventure of two adolescent sisters who left Angola running away from war. Being on their own, Alda, the elder sister and Maria are should learn to survive without money in a foreign city. With the complicity of other Angolans, they organized themselves in a precarious environment in a dull and polluted suburb. This exile will also teach them to face their fate by becoming strong and deserving women…
The autobiographical movie by Pocas Pascoal is shot in Portugal with amateur actors. After several castings realized on the African continent, she finally finds her actors in Europe. « I once saw her and I realized that it was her, even if Ciomara Morais had no theatrical or film experience. But from the casting, I was impressed by her listening, her attention. And then, I went to all foreign communities in Lisbon; I spent time there, because I was looking for amateurs; I needed young people. Cheila Lima who embodies Maria, just came out from a drama school.I was reluctant because I was looking for somebody naturally fragile, but I finally chose her because her experience in the domain was interesting. And I did not regret my choice. Ciomara and Cheila shared the same point of view at once, and the experience of one benefited a lot to the other« , explained the director.
Native of Angola where she was the first woman to operate camera, Pocas Pascoal shares her life today between Paris and Lisbon. Having attended the class of the National Academy of the French Cinema, she dedicates herself to photography and realizes documentary short films.
In 2002, she was a part of artists at the Cité Internationale des Arts (International Arts Festival) and participated in various exhibitions of contemporary art. Among others, she realizes: Il y a toujours quelqu’un qui t’aime (There is always somebody who loves you), documentary of 56 min, in competition at several festivals and rewarde by Scam. She then realizes Por aqui tudo bem (Alda and Maria), the first full-length film rewarded at several festivals of which that of Los Angeles for the best movie. She is working at present on the text of her next full-length film, a love story between a South African soldier and an Angolan lady…
The Angolan director participated in several festivals and won several prize such as the Prize of the European Union (Fespaco 2013), Best Portuguese movie at INDIE Lisboa 2012 or even Best actresses at CARTHAGE 2012
Original text by: Roger ADZAFO
