The Seasons (2025 film)
| The Seasons | |
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 Promotional poster | |
| Portuguese | As Estações |
| Directed by | Maureen Fazendeiro |
| Screenplay by | Maureen Fazendeiro |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Edited by |
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| Music by | Luís J Martins |
Production companies |
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Running time | 82 minutes |
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The Seasons (Portuguese: As Estações) is a 2025 docufiction film written and directed by Maureen Fazendeiro in her directorial feature debut. The film traces the passage of seasons while exploring both the documented and fictional histories of Portugal's Alentejo region and its successive inhabitants.[1][2]
An international co-production, the film had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 11 August 2025, in the Main Competition section, where it competed for Golden Leopard.[3]
Synopsis
The documentary unfolds as a layered exploration of the Alentejo region in Portugal, intertwining its historical narrative and local folklore through the lens of two German archaeologists. Their story is complemented by testimonies from rural inhabitants, archival field notes, scientific illustrations, amateur recordings, and artistic interpretations."[4]
Cast
- Simão Ramalho
- Cláudio da Silva
- Ana Potra
- Manuel Leitão
- António Sozinho
Voices
- Gerti Drassl
- Michaela Caspar
- Raphael von Bargen
- Toni Slama
- António Abel
- Simão Romeu
Production
Development
The director and writer of the film Maureen Fazendeiro in an interview to the Variety said that She inspired by the legacy of archaeologists Georg and Vera Leisner—who "made the first inventory of megalithic monuments of the Iberian Peninsula, a work still very important today to understand the dawn of the European civilization". She retraced their journey through the Alentejo region. She further said, that there, she "met shepherds, archaeologists, poets, rural workers, trees and stones" and sought to "reassemble the historical time from those fragments," blending poetic observation with archaeological inquiry.[4]
In July 2022, the film project was selected in FIDLab 2022 projects, the co-production incubator of French festival FIDMarseille,[5] and won Sublimages prize in the showcase, known for its focus on experimental documentary and fiction features.[6]
In 2023, the project was presented in The Ventura co-production market, which is supported by Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts, run in the collaboration of the Concello de Tui and Play-Doc, Tui International Film Festival.[7]
The film was supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe, which is designed to support the European film and audiovisual industries, under its Development Support funding line.[8]
Release
The Seasons had its World Premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 11 August 2025, and competed for Golden Leopard.[9][10]
The film will also be screened in Wavelengths section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2025 for its North American Premiere.[11][12]
The film will be distributed by Norte Distribution in France and Desforra Apache in Portugal.[13]
It will be released by Norte Distribution in French cinemas on 3 December 2025.[14]
Vienna-based sales company Square Eyes acquired the international sales rights of the film in July, before its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival.[4]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | 16 August 2025 | Golden Leopard | The Seasons | Nominated | [15] |
References
- ^ "The Seasons". Locarno Film Festival. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Fazendeiro, Maureen (9 July 2025). "The Seasons". Cineuropa. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Mona Tabbara (8 July 2025). "Locarno unveils 2025 line-up including premieres of Radu Jude's 'Dracula', Kamal Aljafari's 'With Hasan In Gaza'". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Rafa Sales Ross (8 July 2025). "Square Eyes Picks Up Sales Rights for Maureen Fazendeiro's Locarno Competition Entry 'The Seasons' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Michael Rosser (27 May 2022). "Cristi Puiu feature among Marseille's FIDLab 2022 projects". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Michael Rosser (11 July 2022). "Cristi Puiu's 'MMXX' among Marseille's FIDLab 2022 winners". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Rivera, Alfonso (7 August 2023). "The Ventura platform for independent filmmakers reaches its final stage". Cineuropa. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Maureen Fazendeiro: filme "As Estações" estreia em Locarno" [Maureen Fazendeiro: The Seasons premieres in Locarno]. Creative Europe (in Portuguese). Creative Europe Information Center. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (8 July 2025). "'Dracula' by Radu Jude, David Lynch-Exec Produced 'Happy Worker' Set for Locarno Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Del Don, Giorgia (29 July 2025). "Locarno announces the selection of its highly anticipated competition". Cineuropa. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Zilko, Christian (8 August 2025). "TIFF Announces 2025 Wavelengths Lineup, Featuring the Very Best of the Avant-Garde". IndieWire. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
- ^ "The Seasons". TIFF. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ "As Estações (Les Saisons)" [The Seasons]. Norte Production (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Les Saisons" [The Seasons]. Norte Distribution (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Marta Balaga (8 July 2025). "Radu Jude, Abdellatif Kechiche Head to Locarno as Swiss Fest Announces Lineup, An 'Ambitious and Exciting Edition'". Variety. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
External links
- Official website
(in French) - The Seasons at IMDb
- The Seasons at Locarno Film Festival
- The Seasons at Square Eyes