O Riso e a Faca (2025), directed by Pedro Pinho, 211 min
Sérgio, a Portuguese environmental engineer, arrives in Guinea-Bissau to assess the impact of a new road project. Isolated by the heat and unfamiliar landscape, he encounters Diara and Guilherme, a Brazilian expatriate, each searching for their own path. As desire and tension unfold between them, Sérgio is forced to confront the capitalist and post-colonial forces underlying his mission. In a world shaped by borders, power, and globalization, they must each reckon with who they are—and where they belong. An incredible, realistic trip to Africa. Competed in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, where Cleo Diara won the Best Actress award.
"It navigates power within the neocolonial order while delving into race, class, and sexuality, blending an astonishing range of genres and ideas into something truly extraordinary." - valewu - Letterboxd
Recommended: For another amazing journey The Blue Trail and Central Station, Gugu’s World.