Cristiano Ronaldo may be the most well-known, and possibly the only, Portuguese figure you’ve heard of, but there’s a lot more to Portuguese than the name of this legendary footballer. Apart from being a lovely language, Portuguese is also one of those rare languages that is spoken around the world. The best thing about languages like this is that they allow you to cover more territory in terms of foreign cinema. It is the official language of six countries, no matter how little, which means there are a plethora of films available to you. Even though English dubbing now allows you to see any film in any language, the finest experience comes from watching a film in its original language, as many details are lost in translation. With that in mind, here’s a roundup of some of the best Portuguese movies accessible on Netflix right now:
Aquarius (2016)
‘Aquarius,’ set in the late 1970s, tells the story of a woman who stands firm when a construction company tries to buy her flat so that they can build something else there. Clara has lived there for a long time and has no desire to leave. The firm decides to create some infamous plots to drive her out because the place is mostly empty. They don’t realize it, but Clara has been through a lot worse. There isn’t anything she can’t overcome. This picture generated a lot of excitement, both because of its brilliance and because of the controversy that surrounded it. Its straightforward plot may lead you to believe it’s simply another indie film, yet it has powerful political overtones.
Back and Forth (2016)
Every new path brings with it a fresh adventure that you weren’t expecting. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects about traveling. You meet new individuals and learn things from them that could be the life lesson you’ve been looking for. ‘Back and Forth’ is a film about a father who takes his son on a road journey to rekindle his bond with his estranged mother. They meet a group of teenage telemarketers on the way and decide to take a diversion with them.
‘Bald Mountain,’ set in 1978, depicts the story of two buddies who give up all for power and money. Juliano and Joaquim are close friends who travel to Amazon from Sao Paulo in pursuit of something that will make them wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans,” as the saying goes. Their voyage takes them to a place that they had not planned for themselves. Dreams aren’t free. What are they going to have to pay?
Couples Counselling (2016)
Life is a never-ending educational process. Whatever age you are, something can always happen to teach you something you had never considered before. Take note of this! When you’ve worked in the same profession for a long time, you may believe you know a lot, if not everything, about it. However, it only takes one task to put your knowledge to the test. ‘Couples Counselling’ is a documentary that depicts the narrative of a seasoned relationship therapist who has treated a large number of people. But then she meets a pair who make her reflect about her own life.
Father’s Chair (2012)
Is family more essential than a career? This is the question that troubles Theo after he is confronted with a tragedy that completely changes his life. He is a successful doctor who has always put his career ahead of his family. If he misses a family member’s birthday party, he doesn’t feel compelled to make it up in another way. There would always be parties and the mundane tasks that come with family life. As a result, Theo prioritized his work. But, while he was busy looking the other way, his relationships began to deteriorate. When his teenage kid goes missing, it’s the final straw. Will Theo continue to concentrate on his work?
Jonas (2015)
‘Jonas,’ set in Sao Paulo, depicts the story of a boy and a girl who have been in love since infancy. Despite their mutual affinity, social hurdles have kept them apart. Years later, they rejoin at a carnival and realize that no matter what their current situation is, they still love each other. The boy does something bad at the carnival and has to flee to keep himself safe. He kidnaps her since she is in danger as a result of her association. The guy and the girl must decide what they truly want from one other with just each other in their sights, hiding in a place where no one will ever think to look.
Love.com (2017)
The world has become smaller as a result of technological advancements. It draws individuals from all walks of life together from all over the world. The main disadvantage is that these virtual connections are nowhere near as good as genuine ones. Katrina is a blogger that specializes on fashion. She is attractive and successful, but she requires someone who can see her beyond her profession and accept her for who she is. Ironically, she makes this connection with Fernando, a video game blogger, on a virtual platform. Their interactions begin to take on a more serious tone. Then there’ll be a face-to-face meeting. Will reality live up to the hype?
Operações Especiais (2015)
When you work in law enforcement, you get into the habit of suspecting everyone. When you’re part of an anti-corruption squad, you have to question everyone’s honesty because you never know how people will turn out. Francis is a rookie cop who is assigned to work as part of a team tasked with investigating crime and corruption in a tiny town. While they are first welcomed for their efforts, the population gradually becomes hostile to them. What does this imply for cops?
Paradise Lost (2016)
There’s a reason you’re told not to judge a book by its cover, and the same rule applies to people. Just because someone dresses in a way that you don’t like doesn’t indicate they’re a nasty person. Similarly, despite knowing little about people, we tend to make a lot of assumptions about them. When a cop becomes the bodyguard of a drag queen, he discovers the significance of this. This connects him with others who work in the same location, and his mind is opened up to a new way of thinking.
Stronger than the World (2016)
José Aldo is a well-known Brazilian mixed martial artist who has won numerous titles, including a few in which he set records. However, he did not have an easy road to success. The fact that he came from an impoverished household was the least of his problems. Some emotionally traumatic events in his life were preventing him from reaching his full potential. His narrative is told in the song ‘Stronger than the World.’ This inspirational real story chronicles all of the pivotal events in his life and demonstrates how, if you stick it out long enough, things will always get better.
The Man from the Future (2011)
Every person’s life contains at least one occurrence that they wish had never occurred; the one thing that they would do anything to change. That moment for Joo occurred twenty years ago, when his then-girlfriend became inebriated and humiliated him at a party. He chooses to travel back in time, now that he is a successful physicist, and mend only this one thing. Time, like karma, is a spiteful force that will sabotage all of your goals, i.e., it’s a bitch. After resolving issues in the past, Joo awakens in the present to find that things have gotten even worse.
