Manoel de Oliveira was born in Porto, Portugal on December 11, 1908, to Francisco José de Oliveira and Cândida Ferreira Pinto. His family were wealthy industrialists. Oliveira attended school in Galicia, Spain and his goal as a teenager was to become an actor. He enrolled in Italian film-maker Rino Lupo's acting school at age 20, but later changed his mind when he saw Walther Ruttmann's documentary Berlin: Symphony of a City. This prompted him to direct his first film, also a documentary, titledDouro, Faina Fluvial (1931). He also acted in the second Portuguese sound film, A Canção de Lisboa (1933). His first feature film came much later, in 1942. Aniki-Bóbó, a portrait of Oporto's street children, was a commercial failure when it opened, and its merit only came to be recognised over time. This drawback forced Oliveira to abandon other film projects he was involved in, and to dedicate himself to running his family vineyard. He re-emerged onto the film scene in 1956 with The Artist and the City, a work that marked a turning point in Oliveira's conception of the cinema. In 1963, O Acto de Primavera (The Rite of Spring), a documentary depicting an annual passion play, marked a turning point for his career. This was shortly followed by A caça (The Hunt), a grim feature film that contrasted with the happy tones of his previous documentary. Despite the widespread acclaim garnered by both films, he would not return to the director's seat until the 1970s. Since 1990 (when he turned 82), he has made at least one film each year. Oliveira has said that he direct movies for the sheer pleasure of doing it, regardless of critical reaction. He maintains a quiet life away from the spotlights, despite multiple honours such as those of the Cannes, Venice and Montreal film festivals. He has been awarded two Career Golden Lions in 1985 and 2004 and a golden palm for his lifetime achievements in 2008.
A Song of Lisbon
(Carlos)
A Friendly Handshake
Christopher Columbus, The Enigma
(Manuel Luciano (2007))
Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember
(Self)
The Glory of Filmmaking in Portugal
(Himself)
Agostinho da Silva - A Living Thought
(Self)
Fátima Milagrosa
The 15th Stone
(Himself)
Oliveira, l'architecte
Visit, or Memories and Confessions
(Self)
Guest
(Self)
Nice - À propos de Jean Vigo
Voyage to the Beginning of the World
(Driver)
No, or the Vain Glory of Command
(Narrator)
The Conversation Is Over
(Padre)
Porto of My Childhood
(Himself / Narrator / The Thief)
Anxiety
(Tango Dancer)
Lisbon Story
(Himself)
Manoel de Oliveira, O Caso Dele
(Himself)
Doomed Love
(Narrator (voice))
Jornal Português (1938-1951)
(Self (archive footage))
The Green Years
No Tempo do Cinema
(Himself)
Conversazione a Porto
Sem Cura - à saúde de Manoel de Oliveira
Cinématon
(N°102)
101
Henri Langlois vu par...
(Self)
Cinématon XI
(N°102)
The Divine Comedy
Sodankylä Forever
(Self)
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
(Self)
Cinématon n°102 : Manoel de Oliveira
Biette
(Self)
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
(Himself)
Já Está
(Self)
Zona+
(Próprio)
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
Doomed Love
((voice))
To Each His Own Cinema
(Director)
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl
(Screenplay)
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl
(Director)
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl
(Editor)
Romance de Vila do Conde
(Director)
Word and Utopia
(Director)
Word and Utopia
(Writer)
My Case
(Director)
Belle Toujours
(Director)
I’m Going Home
(Director)
The Strange Case of Angelica
(Writer)
The Strange Case of Angelica
(Director)
Aniki-Bóbó
(Director)
Christopher Columbus, The Enigma
(Director)
No, or the Vain Glory of Command
(Director)
The Uncertainty Principle
(Director)
A Talking Picture
(Director)
The Letter
(Director)
Voyage to the Beginning of the World
(Director)
Abraham's Valley
(Director)
The Convent
(Director)
Anxiety
(Director)
Gebo and the Shadow
(Screenplay)
Gebo and the Shadow
(Director)
Working on the Douro River
(Director)
Working on the Douro River
(Writer)
Francisca
(Director)
Porto of My Childhood
(Director)
Doomed Love
(Screenplay)
Doomed Love
(Director)
Historic Centre
(Director)
Magic Mirror
(Director)
The Satin Slipper
(Director)
The Hunt
(Director)
The Artist and the City
(Director)
O Pão
(Director)
Acto da Primavera
(Director)
The Cannibals
(Director)
Famalicão
(Writer)
Famalicão
(Director)
Invisible World
(Director)
Party
(Director)
Blind Man's Bluff
(Adaptation)
Blind Man's Bluff
(Director)
A Friendly Handshake
(Director)
Nice - À propos de Jean Vigo
(Director)
Do visível ao invísivel
(Screenplay)
Do visível ao invísivel
(Editor)
Do visível ao invísivel
(Art Direction)
Day of Despair
(Director)
Past and Present
(Director)
The Panels of São Vicente de Fora: A Poetic Vision
(Director)
The Panels of São Vicente de Fora: A Poetic Vision
(Writer)
The Old Man of Belem
(Screenplay)
The Old Man of Belem
(Director)
Já Se Fabricam Automóveis em Portugal
(Editor)
Já Se Fabricam Automóveis em Portugal
(Executive Producer)
Lisboa Cultural
(Editor)
Romance de Vila do Conde
(Director of Photography)
White Coal
(Editor)
White Coal
(Executive Producer)
Romance de Vila do Conde
(Screenplay)
Romance de Vila do Conde
(Producer)
O Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa Morta
(Director of Photography)
Famalicão
(Producer)
O Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa Morta
(Producer)
The Fifth Empire
(Director)
Blind Man's Bluff
(Editor)
Blind Man's Bluff
(Writer)
O Improvável Não é Impossível
(Writer)
O Improvável Não é Impossível
(Director)
The Conquered Conqueror
(Director)
The Conquered Conqueror
(Screenplay)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Director)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Screenplay)
Visit, or Memories and Confessions
(Director)
The Hunt
(Director of Photography)
A Century of Energy
(Director of Photography)
A Century of Energy
(Director)
Chafariz das Virtudes
(Director)
The Divine Comedy
(Writer)
Magic Mirror
(Writer)
Belle Toujours
(Writer)
A Talking Picture
(Writer)
The Hunt
(Writer)
The Hunt
(Editor)
The Hunt
(Producer)
Acto da Primavera
(Sound)
Acto da Primavera
(Screenplay)
Voyage to the Beginning of the World
(Writer)
Benilde or the Virgin Mother
(Screenplay)
No, or the Vain Glory of Command
(Screenplay)
No, or the Vain Glory of Command
(Editor)
Abraham's Valley
(Editor)
Benilde or the Virgin Mother
(Editor)
Abraham's Valley
(Screenplay)
The Letter
(Screenplay)
Francisca
(Screenplay)
The Uncertainty Principle
(Editor)
The Uncertainty Principle
(Screenplay)
The Satin Slipper
(Screenplay)
Benilde or the Virgin Mother
(Director)
Christopher Columbus, The Enigma
(Screenplay)
The Fifth Empire
(Screenplay)
My Case
(Screenplay)
Working on the Douro River
(Editor)
Historic Centre
(Screenplay)
The Hunt
(Sound Designer)
The Divine Comedy
(Editor)
The Divine Comedy
(Screenplay)
The Divine Comedy
(Director)
Aniki-Bóbó
(Screenplay)
O Pão
(Producer)
O Pão
(Sound Designer)
Acto da Primavera
(Editor)
The Artist and the City
(Screenplay)
The Artist and the City
(Editor)
The Artist and the City
(Producer)
The Artist and the City
(Director of Photography)
Past and Present
(Producer)
Past and Present
(Editor)
Aniki-Bóbó
(Co-Producer)
Aniki-Bóbó
(Editor)
O Pão
(Director of Photography)
Acto da Primavera
(Producer)
O Pão
(Screenplay)
O Pão
(Editor)
Acto da Primavera
(Director of Photography)
Past and Present
(Screenplay)
Anxiety
(Screenplay)
Lisboa Cultural
(Director)
A Friendly Handshake
(Screenplay)
A Propósito da Bandeira Nacional
(Producer)
The Convent
(Writer)
The Convent
(Editor)
Party
(Screenplay)
I’m Going Home
(Screenplay)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Producer)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Editor)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Director of Photography)
As Pinturas do Meu Irmão Júlio
(Sound Designer)
The Cannibals
(Editor)
The Cannibals
(Screenplay)
White Coal
(Director)
White Coal
(Writer)
Já Se Fabricam Automóveis em Portugal
(Director)
Já Se Fabricam Automóveis em Portugal
(Writer)
Villa Verdinho - Uma Aldeia Transmontana
(Director)
Simpósio Internacional de Escultura em Pedra
(Director)
A Propósito da Bandeira Nacional
(Director)
Day of Despair
(Editor)
Day of Despair
(Screenplay)
Visit, or Memories and Confessions
(Editor)
Visit, or Memories and Confessions
(Screenplay)
Miramar, Praia das Rosas
(Executive Producer)
Miramar, Praia das Rosas
(Screenplay)
Miramar, Praia das Rosas
(Editor)
Miramar, Praia das Rosas
(Director)
Do visível ao invísivel
(Director)
Lisbon statues
(Director of Photography)
Lisbon statues
(Screenplay)
Lisbon statues
(Director)
Os Últimos Temporais - Cheias do Tejo
(Director of Photography)
Os Últimos Temporais - Cheias do Tejo
(Director)
Porto of My Childhood
(Writer)
Henri Langlois vu par...
(Director)
Famalicão
(Sound)
To Each His Own Cinema
(Writer)
O Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa Morta
(Writer)
O Poeta Doido, o Vitral e a Santa Morta
(Director)
Doomed Love
(Writer)
Doomed Love
(Director)
Doomed Love
(Screenplay)
Doomed Love
(Creator)