The 1970s were a time of political terrorism, or “armed resistance,” as militant groups called it, in various European countries. Portugal followed, experiencing “years of lead,” as they were dubbed from 1980 until 1987. The political thriller Projecto Global, the new feature from writer-director Ivo M. Ferreira (Letters From War, Empire Hotel), world premiering on Sunday, Feb. 1 in the Big Screen Competition of the 55th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), takes on this period in fictionalized form.
The movie is set in Lisbon following the so-called Carnation Revolution in the country, which had brought freedom and democracy. But then, economic and social challenges shook Portugal and its political elite.
“The Forças Populares 25 de Abril (FP-25), allegedly led by the inscrutable Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, a key figure in the 1974 Carnation Revolution, waged a campaign in defense of what they saw as the revolution’s threatened achievements,” reads a synopsis for Projecto Global. “Their actions included bank robberies, targeted killings, and even the shelling of NATO vessels in Lisbon harbor.”
Ferreira zooms in on “fractured ideals, personal entanglements and suspense” inside the revolutionary movement as it is losing sight of its purpose. The film tells the story of three players in the group, Rosa, Queiroz and Jaime, and their nemesis, Marlow, who is Rosa’s former lover.
Projecto Global stars Jani Zhao, Rodrigo Tomás, and José Pimentão. Ferreira wrote the screenplay with Hélder Beja. The producers are Luís Urbano, Sandro Aguilar and Donato Rotunno, with O Som E A Fúria as the lead production company and Tarantula as co-producer. The Match Factory is handling sales.
“Projecto Global speaks of a dream of equality from which one is forced to awaken, and of the difficulty of accepting defeat when ideas collide with reality – made up of compromises, interests, pettiness, and renunciations,” Ferreira notes in a director’s statement. “We swing between the euphoria of wanting to change the world and creeping despair.”
Taking us back in time, Projecto Global brings together political and societal insight with suspense and high-octane action. THR can now premiere two clips from the movie.
What does a terrorist look like? The first tease from the film touches on that issue, with the help of photos. Check out the clip here.
Clip 2 from Projecto Global revolves around food, drink, conversation, a toast to the revolution, and money in a bra. Watch that film clip below.
