Portugal's Choice for Oscars, 'Banzo,' Aims to Illuminate the Dark Sides of Colonialism

Throughout her career, Margarida Cardoso has delved deeply into post-colonial themes, both in documentaries like Natal 71 and Kuxa Kanema O Nascimento do Cinema, and in feature films including A Costa dos Murmrios, Yvone Kane, and her latest project, Banzo. In a conversation with Casey Loving for TheWraps Screening Series, Cardoso described the film as another effort to uncover the obscured areas that still linger in our colonial history.

Banzo, Portugals submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, is set in 1907 on an African coastal plantation island. When servants begin dying from starvation or despair, afflicted by an intense homesickness called banzo, a European doctor named Afonso (played by Carloto Cotta) is summoned to treat them and, crucially, maintain the plantations productivity. Afonso enlists a photographer, Alphonse (Hoji Fortuna), to document the harsh conditions, highlighting how the legacy of slavery continues to affect lives even after its formal abolition.

Cardosos formative years were spent in Mozambique during the independence war from Portugal, an experience that profoundly influenced her worldview and creative work. The concept for Banzo emerged after visiting So Tom and Prncipe, former plantation islands. I became fascinated by the plantation system, she explained. Globally, plantations often had medical facilities to preserve the health of enslaved or coerced laborers, who were treated merely as parts of a machine. Observing these efforts to sustain life for the sake of labor struck me deeply.

The film examines homesickness as a subtle form of resistance, showing that the plantations survival depends on keeping the laborers alive. In a particularly poignant scene, a mother refuses nourishment to sustain her baby, believing they will reunite in the afterlife, a practice Cardoso confirmed through historical research.

In scripting the film, Cardoso carefully navigated character dynamics to avoid clichs. Alfonso could have easily become a white savior figure, but I intentionally resisted that, she noted. I wanted ambiguity, reflecting real human complexity. Most characters lack true control over their liveseven the plantation administratorbecause ultimate authority rests with officials in Lisbon. Ironically, the enslaved individuals possess the most agency, challenging and threatening the plantation system through their autonomy.

Filming on So Tom and Prncipe presented both physical and emotional challenges. Cast and crew worked under intense heat and high humidity among the ruins of old plantations, immersing themselves in the environment to capture the essence of the story. The sets were not mere backgrounds but spaces where everyone could inhabit the films reality as closely as possible, Cardoso said. This made production extremely demanding.

Analysis: Margarida Cardoso's Banzo and the Persistence of Colonial Legacies

Banzo represents a continuation of Margarida Cardoso's exploration of post-colonial histories, extending her focus from documentaries to a feature narrative. By situating the story on a 1907 African plantation island, the film illustrates how systemic oppression persisted even after formal abolition, highlighting both the physical and psychological toll on laborers.

Cardoso's approach balances historical accuracy with complex character dynamics. She deliberately avoids turning Alfonso, the European doctor, into a savior figure, instead emphasizing ambiguity and human complexity. The film positions the enslaved individuals as the primary agents of resistance, illustrating subtle forms of defiance such as homesickness and the refusal of sustenance.

Production on São Tomé and Príncipe underscored the physical and emotional demands of the story. The cast and crew worked in extreme heat and humidity among the remnants of plantation infrastructure, creating an immersive environment that reinforced the narrative's authenticity. Through Banzo, Cardoso continues to probe the lingering shadows of colonialism, combining historical insight with cinematic craft to provoke reflection on enduring inequities.

Sources:

• Portugal’s Oscars Entry, ‘Banzo,’ Is ‘An Attempt to Shed Light on the Dark Zones’ of Colonialism

Author: Ava Mitchell
Ava Mitchell is a journalist covering culture, art, and literature. She is known for her creative approach and ability to produce in-depth features and interviews.