Hovering Over the Water
| Hovering Over the Water | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | João César Monteiro |
| Written by | João César Monteiro |
| Produced by | João César Monteiro |
| Starring | Laura Morante Philip J. Spinelli Manuela de Freitas Georges Claisse |
| Cinematography | Acácio de Almeida |
Release date |
|
Running time | 143 minutes |
| Country | Portugal |
| Language | Portuguese |
Hovering Over the Water (Portuguese: À Flor Do Mar) is a 1986 Portuguese arthouse romantic drama film written, directed and produced by João César Monteiro[2]. Starring Laura Morante. It tells the story of Laura, an Italian woman spending her vacations in Portugal when her idyllic hot summer takes an unexpected turn.
Synopsis
Laura Rossellini, a widow from Rome, vacations on the Algarve coast one hot summer. One day while sunbathing, she finds a wounded man named Robert drifting in the surf on a rubber raft. She takes him home, and, after he is revived, learns his story. As they talk, their mutual attraction grows, until a group of armed men suddenly arrive looking for Robert.
Cast
- Laura Morante as Laura Rossellini
- Philip J. Spinelli as Robert Jordan
- Manuela de Freitas as Sara
- Georges Claisse as Antoine
- Teresa Villaverde as Rosa
- Sérgio Antunes as Roberto
- Rita Figueiredo as Maria
- Haddy Moss as head terrorist
- Gerd Volkmar as 1st terrorist
- Frederick Ooms as 2nd terrorist
- João César Monteiro as Stavroguine
- Conceição Guerra as Senhora Amélia
Production
The film was shot in various locations in Algarve between September and November of 1985.[1]
Analysis
There is a significant number of references to other films and arts, including to the Italian Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca, to Kenji Mizoguchi's film The Crucified Lovers, and to Roberto Rossellini.[3][4]
Release
The film had a preview screening at the Cinemateca Portuguesa on October 2, 1986[1] and was only released in theaters ten years later, in 1996.[4]
The film was screened as part of a complete retrospective on João César Monteiro's work by the Museum of Modern Art, in October 2025.[5]
Reception
José Navarro de Andrade wrote a positive review after its premiere in 1996, saying that "never have the yellow of the sandstone, the blue of the sea, and that undeniable light of the Algarve had such a glorious celebration as in Hovering Over the Water".[6]
João Bénard da Costa called the title "beautiful".[3]
Awards
The film won the Special Jury Prize in 1987 at the Salso Film & TV Festival.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "À Flor do Mar (1986)". CinePT. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "Folk Tales & Divine Comedies: Films by João César Monteiro | Hovering Over the Water (À Flor do Mar)". The Cinemateque. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b Bénard da Costa, João. "À FLOR DO MAR, João César Monteiro, 1986". Foco - Revista de Cinema. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b Jorge Torres, Mário (June 21, 1996). "À Flor do Mar estreia-se 10 anos depois... : Bruscamente nos Verões passados". Público. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "João César Monteiro: Symphonies of a Libertine". Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved December 6, 2025.