Maria Inês Gonçalves
Korean Premiere
This film explores the story of the medieval Infanta Beatriz of Portugal through fabulation and children¡¯s imagination. Entirely shot at the Monastery of Sancti Spiritus in Toro, a space once inhabited by Beatriz and where her tomb lies, these children stage and interpret fragments of the life of this character erased by history, yet preponderant in the Portuguese dynastic crisis of 1383.
This film aims to awaken the medieval infanta Beatriz of Portugal, a forgotten yet prominent figure in the Portuguese dynastic crisis of 1383. It proposes a space for reflection on her story and imagination of her character through children¡¯s eyes. In response to the lack of historical data and documentary sources on the life of Beatriz, we explore how children today imagine themselves in her place and weave fables around her story. Because in cinema, we don¡¯t need to cling to historical realism in order to rescue characters from oblivion.
Maria Inês Gonçalves studied film at the Lisbon Theatre and Film School and Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola. La Durmiente is her first independent short film and was part of the film residency program NOKA Mentoring 2022.