The Luminous Life
| The Luminous Life | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Portuguese | A Vida Luminosa |
| Directed by | João Rosas |
| Written by | João Rosas |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Paulo Menezes |
| Edited by | Luís Miguel Correia |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Midas Filmes |
Release dates |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Portuguese |
The Luminous Life (Portuguese: A Vida Luminosa) is a 2025 Portuguese drama film written and directed by João Rosas in his feature directorial debut. The film follows Nicolau, a 24-year-old in Lisbon, who, while juggling short-term jobs, dreaming of a music career, and nursing a recent heartbreak, doesn’t feel like celebrating his birthday with a big party.[1]
It had its premiere at the IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival on 7 May 2025.[2] On 26 June 2025, it was released in Portuguese cinemas.[3]
It competed for the Crystal Globe at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 5 July 2025.[4]
Cast
- Francisco Melo as Nicolau
- Cécile Matignon as Chloé
- Federica Balbi as Anna
- Gemma Tria as Emma
- Ângela Ramos as Matilde
- Francisca Alarcão as Mariana
- Margarida Dias as Inês
Release
The Luminous Life had its premiere at IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival on 7 May 2025.[5] It competed for Crystal Globe with other eleven feature films at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 5 July 2025.[6]
It also made it to the 'Meeting Point' slate of the 70th Valladolid International Film Festival.[7] It competed in the Golden Olive tree Competition at the Lecce European Film Festival on 20 November 2025.[8][9]
In February 2026, it will be presented for its United States premiere in the feature films section of the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival.[10]
It was released theatrically on 26 June 2025.[11]
Reception
Vladan Petkovic reviewing the film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for Cineuropa wrote "João Rosas’ debut feature offers a gently ironic and subtly rebellious tone, presenting a relaxed viewing experience as it pairs his familiar protagonist with Lisbon, which plays a central role in the story."[12]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Crystal Globe Grand Prix | The Luminous Life | Nominated | [13] |
See also
References
- ^ Rosas, João (3 June 2025). "The Luminous Life". Cineuropa. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Vieira, Teresa (9 April 2025). "IndieLisboa unveils its full programme". Cineuropa. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Two Portuguese films and one Mozambican film premiere in cinemas today". Portugal Pulse. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Kudláč, Martin (3 June 2025). "The 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival unveils its competition line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "Digital Catalogue" (PDF). IndieLisboa. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Catalogue of Films". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "Avance de la 70 Seminci: Hermanos Dardenne, Sergei Loznitsa, Bi Gan, Lav Díaz y Mascaro, a por la Espiga de Oro" [Preview of the 70 Seminci: Dardenne Brothers, Sergei Loznitsa, Bi Gan, Lav Díaz and Mascaro, going for the Golden Spike]. Europa Press. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Scarpa, Vittoria (14 November 2025). "The cracks in love, family and identity start to show at the Lecce European Film Festival". Cineuropa. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "The Luminous Life". Lecce European Film Festival. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Dinaberg, Leslie (14 January 2026). "The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival Brings a Feast of Movie Magic to Town". Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "'The Luminous Life' by João Rosas competes at the Karlovy Vary festival". Portugal Pulse. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Petkovic, Vladan (7 July 2025). "Review: The Luminous Life". Cineuropa. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ Jason Pirodsky (3 June 2025). "Karlovy Vary film fest unveils 2025 lineup with global premieres, mystery film from Iran". The Prague Reporter. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
External links
- Official website
- The Luminous Life at IMDb
- The Luminous Life Trailer on YouTube
- The Luminous Life at IndieLisboa