O GRANDE KILAPY (THE GREAT KILAPY)

Credits

Name: O GRANDE KILAPY (THE GREAT KILAPY)

Country: Angola

Year of publication: 2012

Format: Blu-ray

Color: color

Language : OF m. engl. UT

Duration: 101 Minuten

Direction: Gamboa, Zézé

Screenplay: Alvarães, Luís; Patraquim, Luis Carlos

Camera: Masini, Mario

Editing: Latil, Pascal

Sound: Leitão, Hugo

Actor: Ramos, Lázaro; Hossi, Pedro; Lagarto, João; Guedes, Hermila

Abstract

Lisbon, mid-1960s, during the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal. Joãozinho, the only son of a respectable bank employee from Luanda, is enjoying his student life in Lisbon to the fullest. João is getting good marks in his engineering studies, plays basketball in Portugal’s top league, and is a lady-killer in tailored suits. At the same time, though, Joãozinho is in contact with Angolan freedom fighters active in the underground, and escapes prosecution only because of his relationship with Carmo, a minister’s daughter. When this liaison ends, João is thrown out of the country. Back in Angola, despite his moderate salary as a civil servant, he attempts to live his high-flying life again. But this is not so easy, as the film’s title implies – “kilapy” in the Angolan language Kimbundu means “fraud”.
The funnily ironic film about an unusual facet of the Angolan struggle for freedom is based on a true story: Joãozinho, the “richest lady-killer in the world” is remembered to this day in Luanda.

  Trailer