Projects in development
Flowers of the Dead
Synopsis
In Praia, Tempu, an introverted undertaker, mourns the death of his father while facing family pressure to sell their country home and leave Cabo Verde. His life intersects with Mónica, a Cabo Verdean singer and emigrant, who is visiting on the occasion of her estranged father's burial. After the two meet during the tense family gathering that follows the ceremony, unexpected intimacy ensues. Tempu invites Mónica on a trip to enjoy Passover festivities and to visit his mother before he leaves. Their journey takes them through the island’s countryside, highlighting Mónica’s feelings of alienation. A heated argument erupts forcing them to confront their emotions. As Mónica learns painful family secrets, Tempu reveals his tragic past and his mother’s suicide that was of his father’s doing. Departing from Cabo Verde, Tempu makes peace and leaves after a tender farewell with Mónica, who, a year later, sings in nostalgia.
Director’s statement
Much of this film is inspired by true events from my life. At 22, I found myself in Praia, Cabo Verde, attending a family member's burial and washing ceremony while grappling with profound questions. "Is my home enough for the personal growth I wish to see in me?"
The film explores these questions through the theme of death and its aftermath and through life in my island where every attitude, ritual, and silence is impregnated with meaning. It examines the emotional weight of leaving versus staying, and the interplay of nostalgia with silence, which can be both comforting and traumatic.
Through this narrative, I aim to tell a simple yet layered story that addresses these universal questions. They resonate not only with young people from Cabo Verde but with anyone who has had to leave home, seek closure, or embark on a journey "in" to go out.
Biographies
Nuno Miranda is a Cabo Verdean filmmaker based in Lisbon, known for exploring themes of identity in poetic style and through narration. His debut film, Kmêdeus, premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2020. His recent short, The Last Harvest, examines Cabo Verdean immigrants in Lisbon and the identity “portals” in the diaspora. Nuno is an EAVE alumnus. He has also collaborated on other projects as an editor and worked as an assistant in Vitalina Varela by Pedro Costa.
Producer from Cabo Verde, Pedro Soulé graduated in management. With a 10-year experience managing different types of businesses, he quickly found himself focused on working in cinema. After servicing for international projects such as Vitalina Varela by Pedro Costa, he produced his first film, Kmêdeus, that had its world premiere at IFFR 2020. In 2022, he worked as the local producer on Abderrahmane Sissako's Black Tea and is focusing on a number of upcoming projects as lead producer.
