Variações

Trailer.


Photo Gallery.

Variações – Guardian Angel.

António Variações was a unique man. He was born in a small village in Amares, in the north of Portugal. At an early age, unhappy with his life working at a local factory, he came to Lisbon to stay with some relatives. But he was different and he wanted more. He wanted to travel and see the world and he emigrated, starting to work as a barber. But his love for music and performance was so strong that he came back so he could sing in his own language, even if with his looks and outfits he was a victim of prejudice. And even without knowing anything about music he fought for his right to do it the way he believed it was best. Variações – Guardian Angel is a story about music and about fighting for what we believe.

Director.

Director and Screenwriter. Born in Portugal, live in New York. In 1990 João Maia completed his licentiateship (B.Sc) in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, in Universidade Autonoma de Lisboa and three years later completed his filmmaking course in the New York Film Academy. Worked as assistant director between 1994 and 1998 and directed several music videos, TV commercials and series. In 2015 he wrote and directed the documentary The 30th Years of The American Institute of Wine and Food. In 2008 he directed two TV feature films for the TVI Portugal: Music Box and Life in Pieces. In 2006 he realized the short film Coming Home. Between 1997 and 2002 he directed more short films, including Trauma and The Nail (Cannes Critics’Week). Variações is his first feature film.

Details.

  • Title
    Variações
  • Rights
    Festivals,
    Sales
  • Country
    Portugal
  • Year
    2019
  • Length
    105′, col.

  • Director 
    João Maia
  • Screenplay
    João Maia
  • Editing
    Pedro Ribeiro
  • Photography
    André Szankowski

  • Music
    Armando Teixeira
  • Sound
    Tiago Raposinho
  • Cast
    Sérgio Praia, Filipe Duarte,
    Victoria Guerra, Augusto Madeira,
    Afonso Lagarto, Diego Branco,
    Filipe Albuquerque, Nuno Casanovas

  • Producers
    Fernando Vendrell,
    Luís Alvãraes
  • Production Company
    David & Golias


  • European Cinema Marathon Odemira 2019
  • Seville European Film Festival 2019 – Special Screenings
  • Cine Atlántico Portuguese Contemporary Cinema Film Festival Angra do Heroísmo 2019
  • Ymotion Youth Film Festival Vila Nova de Famalicão 2019
  • Película Latina Brussels 2019
  • AFI European Film Festival Washington, Silver Spring 2019
  • Caminhos do Cinema Português Coimbra 2019
  • Portuguese Film Festival Moscow 2019
  • Casa das Artes Porto 2019
  • Le Forum des Images Paris 2020
  • FESCILA Festival del cine de Lafões São Pedro do Sul 2020
  • Des Images aux Mots Toulouse 2020
  • Ecrans Mixtes Lyon 2020
  • MoMa New York 2020
  • Paços da Cultura S. João Madeira 2020
  • Frames Portuguese Film Festival Göteborg, Stockholm 2020
  • Municipio da Lourinhā 2020
  • Vues d’en face Grenoble 2020
  • OUTstream Film Festival Charlotte 2020
  • Damn These Heels Queer Film Festival Salt Lake City 2020
  • Parque da Devesa Famalicāo 2020
  • Largo da Feira Mação 2020
  • Frente Ribeirinha Montijo 2020
  • Jardim da Estação Montemor-o-Novo 2020
  • Centro Cultural Cartaxo 2020
  • Campo de Jogos do Rossio da Trindade Lagos 2020
  • Ar Livre Silves 2020
  • Cova da Beira Fundao 2020
  • Anfiteatro Expo Corroios 2020
  • Cinema ao Luar Odivelas 2020
  • In-Edit São Paulo 2020
  • Florence Queer Festival 2020
  • Seoul International Pride Film Festival 2020
  • Portuguese Film Festival Luxembourg 2020
  • Portuguese Film Festival Novossibirsk 2020
  • Portuguese Film Festival Budapest 2020
  • Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival 2020
  • Seeyousound Film Festival Turin 2021
  • Portuguese Film Week Krasnoyarsk 2021
  • Cine-Caravana Santa Maria da Feira Portugal 2021
  • Europe on Screen Jakarta 2021
  • MoMa New York 2021
  • Cinema Farnese Rome2021
  • Nuovo Eden Brescia 2021
  • King Multisala CineStudio Catania 2021
  • Portuguese Film Days Berlin 2021
  • European Union Film Festival Ottawa, Toronto 2021
  • Kinemax Gorizia 2021
  • Cinema Ariston Trieste 2021
  • Yugoslav Cinematheque Belgrade 2022
  • Cinema Arsenale Pisa 2022
  • Cinema Beltrade Milan 2022
  • Postmodernissimo Perugia 2022
  • Cinema Centro Pecci Prato 2022
  • Espacio Seminci Valladolid 2022
  • Festival Norte Cinema Diverso A Coruña 2023
  • Maré Portuguese Film Festival Warsaw, Wroclaw 2023
  • Culture Night Dublin 2023
  • Lusophone Film Festival Boston 2023
  • 5 Ciclo de Cine Lusofono Morelia 2023
  • Unseen Lusophone Cinema Week Nairobi 2024


  • Caminhos do Cinema Português Coimbra 2019 – Best Leading Actor Leading, Best Non Leading Actress, Best Non Leading Actor,
    Best Costumes, Best Make Up
  • Ariel Awards 2020 – Portuguese Representative
  • Premios Quinto Canal 2019 – Best Feature, Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress
  • Arco Iris Ilga Portugal Awards 2020 – Best Feature
  • CinEuphoria Awards 2020 – Audience Awards Best Feature, Best Director, Best Leading Actor
  • Platino Awards 2020 – Candidate
  • Platino Awards 2020 – Nomination for Best Feature Film, Best First Feature Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Leading Actor, Best Sound
  • Platino Awards 2020 – Short Listed Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Sound
  • Prémios Fantastic 2020 – Best National Feature, Best Director, Best Non Leading Actress, Best Non Leading Actor, Best Screenplay
  • Sophia Awards 2020 – Best Leading Actor, Best Non Leading Actor, Best Sound, Best Costumes, Best Make Up, Best Soundtrack, Best Original Song
  • Prémios Autores 2020 – Best Screenplay, Best Leading Actor
  • Prémios Atores de Cinema GDA 2020 – Best Leading Actor
  • Seeyousound Film Festival Turin 2021 – Best Feature Film, Audience Award
  • Premios Globos de Ouro – Nomination for Best Feature Film


Related content