Sweden and Mozambique / 1997 / 100mins / Drama / Portuguese

Adapted from a Swedish novel that uses poetic drama to illuminate and humanize difficult social issues, this film is a touching account of the hardships faced by the young boy, Nèlio, during Mozambique's civil war. After losing his family during a raid on his village, Nèlio manages to escape from a training camp for young soldiers. Upon reaching the capital, he becomes the leader of a group of street children who believe he has the power to cure diseases. His burgeoning reputation as a healer, however, cannot shield him from the brutality of war. As Nèlio lays wounded, he recounts his harrowing story to José, the local baker.

Solveig Nordlund

Solveig Nordlund is a Swedish-Portuguese filmmaker. Nordlund grew up in Stockholm and earned a BA degree in Art History from the University of Stockholm. In 1962, she met Alberto Seixas Santos, whom she married, and her interest in cinema grew. In 1970, this interest transformed into a profession when she became an assistant on several films. Shortly after, she began to edit films as well. Norlund wears many hats being the founder of an independent film production company as well as a theater director. From 1973 - 1974 she received a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and completed internships in Paris under the guidance of, among others, Jean Rouch. In 1974, she was in Cinequipa and, in 1975, Cinequanon, where she worked as an editor on a TV series. As the founder of the Grupo Zero, Solveig worked on the films of multiple filmmakers, such as A Lei da Terra (1976). In 1978, she made her debut as a director on fiction films with Nem Pássaro, Nem Peixe. She directed several films in collaboration with the Cornucopia Theater that were based on the plays of Franz Xaver Kroetz. Though she produced most of her films in Portugal, she returned to Sweden in 2012. Learn More