Tabu

A Portuguese woman reflects on her earlier life in an unnamed African country during the colonial era, in Miguel Gomes’ artfully composed diptych.

Miguel Gomes’ artfully composed diptych presents two stories about Portugal’s colonial past; an older woman’s contemporary reflections followed by flashbacks to her earlier forays in the African jungle. With its appropriation of silent cinema techniques, references to F. W. Murnau’s classic Tabu (1931), and the nostalgic use of 16mm and 35mm monochromatic film stock, Gomes’ film is perfectly calibrated to appeal to cinephiles everywhere.