JOÃO AYRES, AN INDEPENDENT PAINTER

Portugal - 2022
Documentary directed by Diogo Varela Silva

It’s a story with many layers. It’s about the painter Joao Ayres (1921 -2001) an artist in transit between Portugal and Africa who became forgotten in the narrative of Modern Art. It’s also a story about his family, who inherited a significant body of work. One of his grandchildren, Diogo Camilo Alves , the narrator , wants to make his grandfather’s art more accessible and has been fighting for its conservation and restoration. It’s also a story about the house that the painter build, where many of his work still reside and where is memory is very much alive.

TEAM
Production Company: Hot Chilli Films
Directors: Diogo Varela Silva
Producer: Diogo Varela Silva, Sebastião Varela
DoP: Paulo Castilho
Art Director: André Amoedo
Editor: Paulo MilHomens
Colourist: Marco Amaral

FESTIVALS & AWARDS
2023 Sophia Awards (PT)- Best short Documentary Award
2023 Close Film Festival (Iran) - Best Documentary and Best Cinematography Award
2022 SEVIFF (Spain) - Best Documentary Award
2022 Rome Prisma Film Awards (Italy) - Best Documentary Award
2022 Paris Film Awards (France) - Honor mention
2022 Tabriz Cinema Awards (Iran) - Best Cinematography Award
2022 Arte Non Stop Festival (Argentina) – Best Cinematography Award
2022 Sofia Art Film Awards (Bulgary) – Best director and Honor mention 
2022 Milan Gold Awards (Itália) – Honor mention
2022 International Film Awards (USA) – Silver Award 
2022 Red Rock Film Festival (USA) – (Nominee) Best Documentary
2022 Serbest International Film Festival (Moldávia)
2022 Dili International Film Festival (Timor)
2022 Lane Doc Fest (USA)
2022 Doclisboa 
2022 Iconic Images Film Festival (Lituânia)
2022 Orlando Film Festival (USA)
2022 Caminhos do Cinema Português 
2022 Anatolia International Film Festival(Turquia)
2022 Mesa International Film Festival (USA)
2022 Cinema Verite, Iran International Documentary Film Festival  (Irão)
2022 Cinemaking International Film Festival (Bangladesh)