João Pedro Rodrigues
Matin de Saint Antoine - Film - 2011
presented as part of the exhibition Panorama 13
Film
The idea for this film comes from a photo that I took with my mobile phone, when going home with the first underground train at dawn after Saint-Antoine’s night on 13th June. Rather than people, the metro transported exhausted, sleeping bodies, which woke up as if by instinct when they arrived at their stop. They went out walking mechanically, always with the same rhythm and always silent. Without saying goodbye, as if they were each one alone. I got off at my usual stop. I went towards the exit, walking behind a group of girls and boys. When I got outside, I looked at the other metro exits. From each one, boys and girls were coming out, all walking in the same way, in silence, in a still sleeping city. Already, in the street they followed their path home, mechanically, with an alcoholic rhythm which struck me as eminently choreographic.
It made one inevitably think of the geometric choreographies of Buster Keaton or Jacques Tati and, why not, of the pieces by Pina Bausch. I thought of a gigantic choreography in honour of Saint-Antoine, a sort of unconscious pagan tribute to one of the most popular celebrations in Lisbon.
João Pedro Rodrigues
Born in 1966 in Lisbon. Graduated at the Lisbon Film School.
2011 - Alvorada Vermelha – Red Dawn Co-directed with João Rui Guerra da Mata Short documentary, Indie Lisboa
2009 - Morrer como um homem – To die like a man Festival de Cannes - Un Certain Regard
2007 - China, China Co-directed with João Rui Guerra da Mata Short, Festival de Cannes - Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
2005 - Odete Festival de Cannes - Quinzaine des Réalisateurs
2000 - O Fantasma 57th Venice International Film Festival
1997-1998 - Esta é a minha casa – This is My House / Viagem à Expo - Trip to the Expo Two part documentary
1997 - Parabéns! – Happy Birthday! Short, 54th Venice International Film Festival
1988 - O pastor – The Shepard Graduation short
João Pedro Rodrigues worked as assistant director and editing assistant in several features and shorts.
