Gonçalo Almeida
Born and raised in Santiago do Cacém, a small town in the south of Portugal. During highschool he was shown Luchino Visconti's “Death in Venice” and he understood that cinema was a mystical phenomenon he had never witnessed before. As a graphic design student, Almeida was shown Maya Deren's “Meshes of the Afternoon” and decided to start making short films on his own. In 2012 he moved to London to study at the London Film School where he graduated as a director. Nowadays he works majorly in London and Portugal.
Films
- Condrong10'45”
Production: UK 2016
Gonçalo Almeida’s work is an intriguing blend of documentary and mystery film. The director creates an engaging study on the spiritual heritage of the people of Gambia. The titular Condrong is a mysterious spirit that cannot be seen, but whose presence is felt. The consistent black-and-white aesthetics add to the extraordinary mood of this motion picture, which is not bereft of a sense of dread and unease. “Condrong” is a deeply metaphysical story of the human need and longing for that which is invisible to the eye.