Hand
Date:
December 15, 2022
Hand
Hand
by Alexander David
Rua Escura | Portugal
Live-action feature| 2nd feature
Logline
A 12 year old farm boy becomes infatuated with an older man who is visiting his family with the intent of buying their land.
Synopsis
Tó, a 12 year old boy, is a happy, helpful child and a talented flutist.
He lives with his parents on a dairy farm. His father oversees the business, employing over a dozen men. Tó has grown close to the people and animals around him. When the Mad Cow Disease strikes the farm, his father decides to kill any cow with altered behavior. Hopeful that he can find a solution for this calamity, Tó discovers that the melodies he plays on the flute tranquilize the agitated cows. Despite Tó’s musical enchanting, the farm faces decline and his father decides on selling the land. When a potential buyer, a middle-aged Portuguese emigrant from Paris, visits the farm, Tó is struck with fascination. Not un-aware of the effect of his charm over the young boy, the man takes advantage of his unknowing acceptance. This incident gives way to Tó’s secret romantic pursuit.
Yet, his infatuation is never reciprocated again and the flute loses it’s enchantment.
Director’s Profile
Alexander David (b.1986) is an Acting graduate from the New York Film Academy, where he was awarded a scholarship for outstanding achievement. Having worked for a decade as an actor, and having collaborated with directors such as João Pedro Rodrigues and Gabriel Abrantes, his sound understanding of cinematographic mechanisms has prompted him to take on various roles in projects of different natures. Currently, besides working as an Actor and Casting Director in Portuguese and international productions, he develops his own projects both as a writer and a director. First Age (2023) is his first film as a director. It premiered at the International Rotterdam Film Festival, IndieLisboa Film Festival, and at Burgas International Film Festival, where it was awarded an
Honourable Mention.
His short film Wate Hazard is a Portuguese French co-production and has just been completed. This project received funding from ARTE FRANCE, CNC, ICA and GDA, and was chosen for the EuroConnection, at Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival. Water Hazard will premiere at the International Rotterdam Film Festival 2024. His second feature film, Hand, is in development. This project was selected for the Cine-Cerca 2020 Screenwriting Residency and for the Francophone Production Meetings in Moulin d’Andé.
Company Profile
RUA ESCURA is a film production cooperative formed in 2020 in the city of Porto. Today it is made up of André Gil Mata, Cláudia Ribeiro and Frederico Lobo, three directors/producers whose aim is to make their own films, as well as those of their accomplices.
As well as producing films, Rua Escura is dedicated to training in the practice of analogue cinema. “The Damned Yard- Pátio do Carrasco”, the first film finished will Rua Escura’s label, directed by André Gil Mata and co-produced with Agente a Norte and Primeira Idade, prèmiered in the Amoodo Tiger Short Competition in IFFR (Roterdam) 2023. Also, in 2023 Rua Escura’s production “Campos Belos”, a short film, directed by David Ferreira, has his prèmiere in CURTAS- Vila do Conde Short Film Festival. Is currently finishing is first-feature film, The Flame of a Candle, a french-portuguese co-production with so-cle(France), and When The Land Runsaway, documenatry, by Frederico Lobo, co-produced with Terratreme.