João César Monteiro

Director | Actor | Writer

Date of birth : 02/02/1939

Date of death : 02/03/2003

City of birth : Figueira da Foz, Portugal

“What happens when you lives without the movies? You get poorer”. João César Monteiro was a Portuguese actor, director, screenwriter and film critic. In his youth, he moved to Great Britain to study at the London Film School, which allowed him to get closer to international film trends. His first feature film, Fragmentos de um Filme Esmola: A Sagrada Família (1972) marked the beginning of his career. In 1982 he gained international recognition with Silvestre, an adaptation of Portuguese folk tales. With more than twenty titles, Monteiro was screenwriter and actor in many of his works, including Memories of the Yellow House (1989), The Comedy of God (1995) and The Wedding of God (1999), in which he played his alter ego João de Deus. A controversial and experimental filmmaker, his work was influenced by his work as a critic and poet, challenging formal and narrative conventions. He is remembered for his irreverent and personal style.