''O Fantasma'' (English: ''The Phantom'' or ''The Ghost'') is a 2000 Portuguese

erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film directed by

João Pedro Rodrigues João Pedro Rodrigues (born 24 August 1966) is a Portuguese film director. He is considered to be part of ''The School of Reis'' film family. Career Having studied at the School of Theatre and Cinema of Portugal, Rodrigues started his career as a ...

(in his feature directorial debut) and produced by the independent production company Rosa Filmes.

Premise

Young and handsome Sérgio works the night shift as a trash collector in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

. He is uninterested in his pretty female co-worker Fatima, who displays an avid interest in him, so instead Sérgio roams the city. Eventually Sérgio becomes fascinated with a sleek motorcycle and its arrogant owner—a young man completely indifferent to Sérgio. Sérgio's surfacing desires unleash his darkest impulses, sending him down a dangerous path of violence, depravity, and degradation.

Cast

* Ricardo Meneses as Sérgio * Beatriz Torcato as Fátima * André Barbosa as João * Eurico Vieira as Virgílio * Jorge Almeida as police officer * Joaquim Oliveira as Mário * Florindo Lourenço as Matos * Maria Paola Porru as João's mother

Reception

The film premiered at the

Venice International Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

. It won the prize for Best Feature Film in the

New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival put on by The New Festival, Inc., is one of the most comprehensive forums of national and international LGBT film/video in the world. Founded in 1988, The New Festival, Inc ...

and the Entrevues Film Festival. Meneses was nominated for the 2001 Portuguese Golden Globe award for Best Leading Actor.

References

External links

* * 2000 films 2000 directorial debut films 2000 drama films 2000 independent films 2000 LGBT-related films 2000s erotic drama films Films directed by João Pedro Rodrigues Films set in Lisbon Films shot in Lisbon Gay-related films LGBT-related drama films Portuguese drama films Portuguese independent films 2000s Portuguese-language films Portuguese LGBT-related films {{LGBT-drama-film-stub