''The Island of Contenda'' (original title: ''O Ilhéu de Contenda'') is a 1995

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by Leão Lopes.

Synopsis

Cape Verde, 1964. At the feet of a mighty volcano, the traditional Cape Verdean society is undergoing a steady change. The old land-owning aristocracy is disintegrating. A class of

mulatto (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...

begins to emerge, with a trade-based financial power that threatens the landlords. A new identity arises, a mix of old and new, of African and Portuguese culture, sensual and dynamic. The songs of

Cesária Évora Cesária Évora GCIH (; 27 August 194117 December 2011), more commonly known as Cize, was a Cape Verdean singer-songwriter. She received a Grammy Award in 2004 for her album '' Voz d'Amor''. Nicknamed the "Barefoot Diva" for performing withou ...

follow this inevitable transformation with the beautiful landscape of

Fogo, Cape Verde Fogo (Portuguese for "fire") is an island in the Sotavento group of Cape Verde. Its population is 35,837 (2015),Henrique Teixeira de Sousa Henrique Teixeira de Sousa (September 19, 1919 in São Lourenço on the island of Fogo – March 3, 2006) was a doctor and author from Cape Verde. Biography Teixeira de Sousa graduated in 1945 in Lisbon with a degree in Medicine, having atte ...

Cast

* João Lourenço - Eusébio * Camacho Costa - Felisberto * Luísa Cruz - Esmeralda * Filipe Ferrer - Alberto * Betina Lopes - Soila * Cecília Guimarães - Nha Noca * Marina Albuquerque * Henrique Espírito Santo - Governor * José Fanha - Carneiro * Laurinda Ferreira - Alice * Leandro Ferreira - Father Vitório *

Isabel de Castro Isabel Maria Bastos Osório de Castro e Oliveira (August 1, 1931 – November 23, 2005) was a Portuguese film actress. Biography She was born in the capital Lisbon in 1931 to José Osório de Castro e Oliveira (Setúbal, 27 January 1900 - Lisbon, ...

- Nha Caela *

Teresa Madruga Teresa Madruga (born 18 March 1953) is a Portuguese actress. She has appeared in 71 films and television shows since 1977. She starred in the 1983 film ''In the White City'', which was entered into the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival. S ...

- Beliha * Luís Mascarenhas - Inspector * Mano Preto - Chiquinho * Carlos Rodrigues - Augusto Foleiro * Horácio Santos - Anacleto * Diogo Vasconcelos * Pedro Wilson - Dr. Vicente

Release

The film was released in 1996 in Cape Verde

Festivals

* Cabo Verde International Film Festival
Milan Film Festival, Italy
(1997) *

Amiens International Film Festival Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of Am ...

, November 10, 1997

Awards

* Best Original Score at FESPACO - Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (1997)
First Prize at Festival de Cine Internacional de Ourense, Spain
(1997)

References

External links

*
New York Times review

BFI

News articles

At RTP (Portuguese Broadcasting Network)

News in ''Público'' (article in Portuguese)

* ttp://brito-semedo.blogs.sapo.cv/51934.html 'Ilhéu de Contenda' (article in Portuguese)
No blog ''Deambulações'' (article in Portuguese)
1995 films Films set in Cape Verde Films based on Cape Verdean novels Cape Verdean drama films 1995 drama films Fogo, Cape Verde 1990s Portuguese-language films {{FESPACO Best Original Score Prize, state=expanded