Manoel de Oliveira

Manoel de Oliveira was born on December 11, 1908, in Porto, Portugal, into a prosperous family of industrialists, the son of Francisco José de Oliveira and Cândida Ferreira Pinto. His education took him to Galicia, Spain, where, as a teenager, he aspired to become an actor. At the age of 20, he enrolled in an acting school run by Italian filmmaker Rino Lupo. However, his perspective shifted after viewing Walther Ruttmann's documentary, *Berlin: Symphony of a City*, inspiring him to create his own documentary, *Douro, Faina Fluvial*, in 1931. Oliveira also appeared in Portugal's second sound film, *A Canção de Lisboa*, released in 1933.

His first feature film, *Aniki-Bóbó*, which focused on the lives of street children in Oporto, premiered in 1942 but was initially met with commercial failure. This setback led him to step back from filmmaking to manage his family's vineyard. However, he returned to the cinematic world in 1956 with *The Artist and the City*, signaling a new chapter in his artistic vision. The 1963 documentary *O Acto de Primavera* (The Rite of Spring) further established his reputation, followed by the darker feature film *A caça* (The Hunt). Despite the acclaim for these works, Oliveira did not direct again until the 1970s.

Since turning 82 in 1990, he has consistently produced at least one film each year, emphasizing his passion for the craft over critical reception. Though he has received numerous accolades, including two Career Golden Lions and a Golden Palm for lifetime achievement, he prefers to live a low-profile life away from the limelight.