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A contemporary Odyssey from Portugal's finest cineaste, Manuel de Oliveira, this quiet, stirring drama of subtly epic proportions was made when director Oliveira was 96-years-old. Beautiful young history professor Rosa Maria (Oliveira veteran Leonor Silveira) is escorting her precocious eight-year-old daughter Maria Joana (Filipa de Almeida) on a cruise from their native Portugal to Bombay. The first half of the film is a history lesson illustrated through dialectical exchange between the two. Prompted by tourist attractions in France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, Rosa weaves together a narrative of myth, legend, and fact, often blurring the line that separates them. The second half of the film is dominated by one long dinner conversation, when Rosa joins the captain of her ship (John Malkovitch, BEING JOHN MALKOVITCH, KLIMT) at his table. They are also accompanied by a successful French executive (Catherine Deneuve, DANCER IN THE DARK, 8 WOMEN), a former Italian model (Stefania Sandrelli), and a Greek actress (Irene Papas). As their discussion unfolds, with each speaking in his or her native language, the ship moves toward a startling conclusion that will reveal the director's bold message about the contemporary global community.
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In Theaters 
