Arabian Nights

by Miguel Gomes

Arabian Nights

Synopsis

In Portugal — one European country in crisis — a film director proposes to build fictional stories from the miserable reality he is immersed in. However, failing to find meaning in his work, he cowardly runs away and leaves the beautiful Scheherazade to stand in his shoes. She will require enthusiasm and courage so as not to bore the King with sad stories of this country. As nights go past, restlessness leads to desolation and in turn to enchantment. Therefore Scheherazade organises the stories she tells the King in three volumes. She begins like this: “It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in a sad country among all countries...”.

More information:
- Volume I, The Restless One
Volume II, The Desolate One
- Volume III, The Enchanted One

Director

Miguel Gomes was born in Lisbon in 1972. He studied cinema and worked as film critic for the Portuguese press until the year 2000. Tabu was released at Berlinale’s Competition, where it won the Alfred Bauer and FIPRESCI award ; the movie was sold to over 50 countries and won dozens of awards. Retrospectives from Miguel’s work have been programmed at the Viennale, the BAFICI, the Torino Film Festival, in Germany and in the USA. Redemption, his most recent short film, premiered in 2013 at Venice Film Festival. Arabian Nights, is a three part feature film.

DIRECTOR'S FILMOGRAPHY:

FEATURE FILMS
2015 ARABIAN NIGHTS
2012 TABU
2008 AQUELE QUERIDO MÊS DE AGOSTO
2004 A CARA QUE MERECES

SHORT FILMS
2013 REDEMPTION
2006 CÂNTICO DAS CRIATURAS
2003 PRE-EVOLUTION SOCCER'S ONE MINUTE AFTER A GOLDEN GOAL IN THE MASTER LEAGUE
2002 KALKITOS
2002 TRINTA E UM
2000 INVENTÁRIO DE NATAL
1999 ENTRETANTO

 

Cast

with Scherezade - Crista Alfaiate

Crew

directed by Miguel Gomes
screenwriters Miguel Gomes, Mariana Ricardo, Telmo Churro
cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Lisa Persson (The Inebriating Chorus of the Chaffinches), Mário Castanheira (The Ftory of the Cockerel and the Fire)
editing Telmo Churro, Pedro Filipe Marques, Miguel Gomes
sound Vasco Pimentel
production design Bruno Duarte, Artur Pinheiro
journalists Maria José Oliveira, Rita Ferreira, João de Almeida Dias
costumes Silvia Grabowski, Lucha D'Orey
sound editing and mix Miguel Martins
executive producer Luís Urbano
co-producers and associated producers
ARTE: Olivier Père, Remi Burah
ARTE/ZDF: France Cinéma, Meinolf Zurhorst, Alexander Bohr
RTS Radio Télévision Suisse - SRG SSR: Nuno Vaz, RTP, Françoise Mayor, Sophie Sallin, Sven Wälti, Gregory Catella
AGAT FILMS & Cie: Robert Guédiguian, Patrick Sobelman, Marc Bordure
Michel Merkt
producers
O SOM E A FÚRIA: Luís Urbano, Sandro Aguilar
SHELLAC SUD: Thomas Ordonneau
KOMPLIZEN FILMS: Jonas Dornbach, Janine, Jackowski, Maren Ade
BOX PRODUCTION: Elena Tatti, Thierry Spicher, Elodie Brunner

Technical Data

VOL. 1
Format: DCP / 1:2.40 / color / 5.1
Length: 125 min.
Original Language: Portuguese

VOL. 2
Format: DCP / 1:2.40 / color / 5.1
Length: 131 min.
Original Language: Portuguese

VOL. 3
Format: DCP / 1:2.40 / color / 5.1
Length: 125 min.
Original Language: Portuguese

Original Title: AS 1001 NOITES

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