Silvestre (1981)

While a nobleman is away to visit and invite the king to his daughter's upcoming wedding, a strange pilgrim knocks on his door for shelter. Said visit ends in a violent confrontation and the pilgrim takes on different identities to seek revenge. Meanwhile the nobleman goes missing and his daughter has to pose as a young knight to save him. Set in medieval times, the movie makes use of theatrical sets, lyrical language and a languid rhythm to give it a unique feeling of a folk tale being transmitted from long ago. The cast is led by the 15-year-old Maria de Medeiros and João César Monteiro's frequent collaborator Luís Miguel Cintra. —Diogo Dietl