Manoel de Oliveira passed away

"The cinema began like a fairground curiosity and little by little mobilised the artists who worked in the industry by transforming it into an artistic expression.
This is how it acquired its true longevity – I do not say ‘eternity’ for nothing is eternal here below. But as long as man lives, the cinema will live, just like the theatre, painting and literature."
Manoel de Oliveira

Manoel de Oliveira was an exceptional film director and an exceptional man. He was an artist to his soul with a voracious appetite for life, which he never failed to approach with humour. He started out in the era of silent film and knew the value of language. He occupied the same place in Portuguese cinema as Bergman in Sweden, Kurosawa in Japan and Fellini in Italy.

The Festival de Cannes celebrated his 100th birthday by showing his first film, Douro Faina Fluvial (Working on the Douro River), shot in his native region. Clint Eastwood came especially to pay him tribute; Sean Penn, then president of the jury, was also present.

More than a film director, Manoel de Oliveira was an example to us all. We’ve lost a shining light of European and world culture.