It is not the usual documentary about an artist, in this case the filmmaker Pedro Costa, nor a synthesis of the whole of his work. Among other merits Sacavém finds an angle to speak of a major figure of contemporary cinema without resorting to the usual methods or to mimic Costa’s cinema. Júlio Alves finds a fair distance to read the work without the weight of reverence, connecting characters and recurring objects, starting from Casa de Lava to the next film, showing the continuity between the vision of the director and the world that inspires him (a singular form of realism haunted by ghosts and memories). Pedro Costa’s elusive presence in the film, is an example of a solitary and artisanal work ethic of which the films are the most eloquent demonstration. (N.S.)
