“An extraordinary narrative, loaded with facts and symbols.” | João de Melo, novelist
“A touching testimony, full of roots and faces.” | Maria Inês Gomes, Cinema Sétima Arte
“A beautiful personal poem, in the limbo between documentary and fiction. ” | Filipe Pedro, Lusa
“The Old House allows you to travel. And breathe. ” | António Marujo, Sete Margens
“An essential documentary. ” | Miguel Mira, Caminhos do Cinema Português Film Festival

Over the course of the southern European dictatorships of the 20th century, access to education was a luxury. For a long time, Catholic seminaries, generally conservative and aligned with the regime, were the only academic path for less privileged young men. This is a story about what remains of the derelict walls of the most progressive seminary in Portugal – the country with the longest dictatorship in Europe.

THE OLD HOUSE, O Casarão | Documentary. Portugal, 72′, 2021. DCP – 2K, available in 7.1 and 5.1. National premiere: November 2021, House of Cinema, Coimbra. Caminhos do Cinema Português. On screen in Portuguese cinemas from November 2021 (commercial premiere) to January 2022 and May 2022. TV Premiere: December 2022, RTP (the Portuguese public broadcaster). An old house withers away at the heart of a village ripped in half by a road where cars no longer stop. During the dictatorship, this building was the most progressive Catholic seminary in Portugal. António, the front door neighbour, was brought up and raised a family in its shadow. Ever since the Dominican priests left, he has been its most faithful caretaker – keeper of ghosts, memories, and hallways now emptied of life. Abandoned for years, the town’s former epicentre now hopes for a new life. O Casarão is a Blablabla Media production directed by Filipe Araújo with the financial support of ICA – Instituto do Cinema e Audiovisual, SPA – Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores and RTP (the Portuguese public television).

AVAILABLE IN STREAMING
FILMIN (Portugal)
GUIDEDOC (World)

DVD SPECIAL EDITON
Subtitled in English. Available at:
Zero em Comportamento website
Cinemateca Portuguesa bookshop
FNAC online and shops

Watch the Portuguese Film Academy’s NEXT PREMIERE episode dedicated to THE OLD HOUSE
Interview with Filipe Araújo, the director. Produced and recorded in November 2021, on the occasion of the film’s commercial premiere

TELEVISION
RTP (Portugal)
27 December 2022
25 January 2023
12 February 2023
02 October 2024
TV CINE (Portugal)
Premiere: 5 October 2023
Opening film of an exclusive session dedicated to the best of Portuguese cinema

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Teatro Municipal de Ourém, Ourém
16 October 2022, 16h

NEW ROUND OF PROJECTIONS
From 5 to 13 May 2022 (simultaneous daily screenings)
Cinemas Castello Lopes, Guimarães
Cinemas City, Alegro Setúbal
O Cinema da Villa, Cascais
Cinemas Castello Lopes, Alegro Sintra
Cinemas Castello Lopes, Forum Barreiro
Cinemas Castello Lopes, W Santarém
Cinemas Castello Lopes, TorreShopping
Cinemas Castello Lopes, GuimarãeShopping

 


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