DIRECTOR: Miguel Gomes
STARRING: Goncalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate, Claudio da Silva, Lang Khe Tran
RUNNING TIME: 2 hrs 9 minutes
LANGUAGE: Portuguese, Burmese, Chinese, French, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese
In 1917 Burma (now Myanmar), a British diplomat is set to marry his fiancee but after a last minute panic, he escapes to Singapore, sending her on what evolves into a chase across Asia.
***
Grand Tour is the latest film from acclaimed director Miguel Gomes. The film premiered on May 22, 2024 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section. Miguel Gomes won Best Director. This marks Gomes’ third time representing Portugal at the Oscars, following 2008’s Our Beloved Month of August and 2015's Arabian Nights: Volume 2. The feature-length fiction film was made in two stages, with a first shoot with the director and with a small team of crew members and, later, with filming with the actors in the studio, in Rome and Lisbon. Mubi acquired distribution rights to the film in North America.
Grand Tour was selected as Portugal's candidate in the Oscar race by the Portuguese Cinema Academy on Wednesday, September 11th. It was chosen over A Flor do Buriti by João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora, Manga d'Terra by Basil da Cunha, Your Face Will Be the Last by Luís Filipe Rocha, and The Wind Whistling in the Cranes by Jeanne Waltz.
It is produced by Portugal’s Uma Pedra No Sapato in co-production with Italy’s Vivo Film and French producers Shellac Sud and Cinema Defacto, and in association with The Match Factory, China’s Rediance and Japan’s Creatps. The Match Factory also handles international sales.
Grand Tour is a comedic drama and it was filmed mostly in Rome, Italy and Lisbon, Portugal.
To check out all previous submissions for Portugal, click HERE.
STARRING: Goncalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate, Claudio da Silva, Lang Khe Tran
RUNNING TIME: 2 hrs 9 minutes
LANGUAGE: Portuguese, Burmese, Chinese, French, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese
In 1917 Burma (now Myanmar), a British diplomat is set to marry his fiancee but after a last minute panic, he escapes to Singapore, sending her on what evolves into a chase across Asia.
***
Grand Tour is the latest film from acclaimed director Miguel Gomes. The film premiered on May 22, 2024 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section. Miguel Gomes won Best Director. This marks Gomes’ third time representing Portugal at the Oscars, following 2008’s Our Beloved Month of August and 2015's Arabian Nights: Volume 2. The feature-length fiction film was made in two stages, with a first shoot with the director and with a small team of crew members and, later, with filming with the actors in the studio, in Rome and Lisbon. Mubi acquired distribution rights to the film in North America.
Grand Tour was selected as Portugal's candidate in the Oscar race by the Portuguese Cinema Academy on Wednesday, September 11th. It was chosen over A Flor do Buriti by João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora, Manga d'Terra by Basil da Cunha, Your Face Will Be the Last by Luís Filipe Rocha, and The Wind Whistling in the Cranes by Jeanne Waltz.
It is produced by Portugal’s Uma Pedra No Sapato in co-production with Italy’s Vivo Film and French producers Shellac Sud and Cinema Defacto, and in association with The Match Factory, China’s Rediance and Japan’s Creatps. The Match Factory also handles international sales.
Grand Tour is a comedic drama and it was filmed mostly in Rome, Italy and Lisbon, Portugal.
To check out all previous submissions for Portugal, click HERE.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Abandon yourself to the world and you’ll see how it rewards you.”
Grand Tour, the latest offering from Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes, is an exhilarating and deeply imaginative piece of cinema that defies traditional storytelling. Set in Southeast Asia during 1918 but seamlessly blending past and present, this film is a captivating journey through time, culture, and place. Gomes’ trademark style of interweaving historical recreations with contemporary documentary footage is in full display, resulting in a film that is both aesthetically stunning and intellectually engaging. For viewers willing to abandon themselves to its eccentricities, Grand Tour offers a richly rewarding experience.
At the heart of the film is a deceptively simple premise: Edward, a British diplomat with cold feet, sets off across Asia, followed by his fiancée Molly, who is determined to catch up with him. But this is not a conventional love story. Instead, Gomes uses these characters as vehicles to explore a world that is ever-changing yet timeless. The film effortlessly hops between epochs, with grainy black-and-white period pieces dissolving into vibrant snapshots of modern Southeast Asian life. This visual interplay between old and new creates a unique cinematic tapestry that feels both nostalgic and strikingly contemporary.
One of the most impressive aspects of Grand Tour is its audacious blending of genres and styles. In one scene, we find ourselves in a traditional colonial setting; in the next, we are thrust into a modern karaoke bar with a man singing "My Way." The film’s use of anachronisms, such as cell phones and modern cars in historical settings, adds a layer of playful absurdity that keeps viewers on their toes. Gomes is clearly having fun with the medium, and his refusal to adhere to linear storytelling allows the film to breathe, creating space for moments of pure cinematic magic.
The film’s sprawling journey across Southeast Asia is not only a visual feast but also a sensory one. Gomes and his cinematographers beautifully capture the sights and sounds of places like Myanmar, Vietnam, and China, weaving them into the fabric of the film in a way that makes the landscape feel alive. From bustling markets to serene bamboo forests, each location pulses with energy, inviting the audience to get lost in the world Gomes has created. The recurring motif of puppet shows across different cultures serves as a gentle reminder of the universal nature of storytelling, further enhancing the film’s themes of connection and discovery.
Grand Tour is a bold, boundary-pushing work that will undoubtedly divide audiences, but for those who embrace its quirks and complexities, it is a truly joyous and life-affirming experience. Miguel Gomes has crafted a film that invites us to surrender to the beauty of the world and the unpredictability of life. By blending the past with the present and the real with the surreal, Grand Tour becomes more than just a cinematic journey; it becomes a celebration of wanderlust, curiosity, and the endless possibilities that await when we open ourselves up to the world.
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Abandon yourself to the world and you’ll see how it rewards you.”
Grand Tour, the latest offering from Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes, is an exhilarating and deeply imaginative piece of cinema that defies traditional storytelling. Set in Southeast Asia during 1918 but seamlessly blending past and present, this film is a captivating journey through time, culture, and place. Gomes’ trademark style of interweaving historical recreations with contemporary documentary footage is in full display, resulting in a film that is both aesthetically stunning and intellectually engaging. For viewers willing to abandon themselves to its eccentricities, Grand Tour offers a richly rewarding experience.
At the heart of the film is a deceptively simple premise: Edward, a British diplomat with cold feet, sets off across Asia, followed by his fiancée Molly, who is determined to catch up with him. But this is not a conventional love story. Instead, Gomes uses these characters as vehicles to explore a world that is ever-changing yet timeless. The film effortlessly hops between epochs, with grainy black-and-white period pieces dissolving into vibrant snapshots of modern Southeast Asian life. This visual interplay between old and new creates a unique cinematic tapestry that feels both nostalgic and strikingly contemporary.
One of the most impressive aspects of Grand Tour is its audacious blending of genres and styles. In one scene, we find ourselves in a traditional colonial setting; in the next, we are thrust into a modern karaoke bar with a man singing "My Way." The film’s use of anachronisms, such as cell phones and modern cars in historical settings, adds a layer of playful absurdity that keeps viewers on their toes. Gomes is clearly having fun with the medium, and his refusal to adhere to linear storytelling allows the film to breathe, creating space for moments of pure cinematic magic.
The film’s sprawling journey across Southeast Asia is not only a visual feast but also a sensory one. Gomes and his cinematographers beautifully capture the sights and sounds of places like Myanmar, Vietnam, and China, weaving them into the fabric of the film in a way that makes the landscape feel alive. From bustling markets to serene bamboo forests, each location pulses with energy, inviting the audience to get lost in the world Gomes has created. The recurring motif of puppet shows across different cultures serves as a gentle reminder of the universal nature of storytelling, further enhancing the film’s themes of connection and discovery.
Grand Tour is a bold, boundary-pushing work that will undoubtedly divide audiences, but for those who embrace its quirks and complexities, it is a truly joyous and life-affirming experience. Miguel Gomes has crafted a film that invites us to surrender to the beauty of the world and the unpredictability of life. By blending the past with the present and the real with the surreal, Grand Tour becomes more than just a cinematic journey; it becomes a celebration of wanderlust, curiosity, and the endless possibilities that await when we open ourselves up to the world.
