Among the handful of buzz titles coming out of the Giornate degli Autori programme on the Lido this year is Gabriel Azorín‘s feature film debut. Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes (“Anoche conquisté Tebas“) is being coined as a mysterious, cosmic film exploring male intimacy pushing the boundaries of space, time and cinematic expression. In the exclusive clip below, which is at the onset of the film, we find male bounding between Antònio (Santiago Mateus) and Jota (Antònio Gouveia). Here’s the synopsis:
On a cold winter afternoon, António and Jota return from the front with their friends, looking for an ancient Roman thermal bath. They joke with each other while wading through swamps, recounting past tactical glories. The baths have appeared after a long time spent under the water of a reservoir, and people of all ages curious about the discovery come to spend the day. But there is something mysterious about these thermal waters – as if the baths influence the mood of the men, giving them the courage to say things they have never told anyone. As day turns to night, they confess their feelings and their fears of losing their best friend forever.
The folks at MoreThan Films are handling sales. The world premiere screening takes place on the 2nd of September and will have its North American premiere at the NYFF.
