18/08/2006

Principal photography on Olho Negro [+see also:
trailer
film profile] came to an end last week after one and a half month’s shooting in Lisbon and Cacéres (Spain).

Produced by Filmes do Tejo, with backing of €450,000 from ICAM, the directorial debut of Luso-American filmmaker Paolo Marinou-Blanco is set to premiere locally in the spring of 2007.

Shot in Portuguese and English, Olho Negro tells the story of the "friendship that unites two men: an old English alcoholic exiled in Portugal and a young Portuguese blacksmith. They both share a fascination with the same woman and their friendship is born when she disappears under mysterious circumstances," said Marinou-Blanco, adding that the film – which he also scripted – is at the same time a "study of loneliness and friendship".

For the leading parts, Marinou-Blanco casted local shooting star Nuno Lopes (see interview), Rita Durão and British actor Robert Pugh.

After acclaimed Marco Martins' Alice [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marco Martins
interview: Nuno Lopes
film profile] (see Focus), Lopes is glad to get another challenging role. "I am very much attracted by the theme of loneliness," confesses the actor, who defines his new character as "very much obscure, almost Kafkaesque".

Thirty four year-old Paolo Marinou-Blanco was born in the US, with Portuguese and Greek roots. After living in London, he decided at the age of 28 to study cinema. He moved to NYC where he studied for three years, and then headed to L.A. where he worked on Spike Lee's TV show Sucker Free City.

Before directing Olho Negro, Marinou-Blanco was also part of the crew of the Brazilian-made Sonhos de peixe by Kirill Mikhanovsky.