Almost two hours after an ambitious criticism of colonialism which lasts almost twice as long, a pivot scene puts “I only rest in the storm”. The protagonist, Portuguese engineer in assignment in Guinea Bissau, meets a sex worker. He cannot be excited and, in an attempt to smooth things out, tries to launch a conversation with her about her life. She is legitimately indignant because he waste his time and tells him that what disgusts her most are good men, those who act as if they care when they just want to feel good about their skin.
This scene sums up many subjects in the spirit of the Portuguese director Pedro Pinho – namely the effects of colonization on contemporary Africa and how attempts at modernization could be an obstacle rather than a way to follow. The film follows Sergio (Sérgio Coragem), which is sent to Guinea Bissau in West Africa to determine if a road project between the desert and the forest is viable. There, he meets many different people, both for and against the project. Some see it as a way to modernize and generate jobs in this developing country, while others see it as the end of their lifestyle as agrarian economy.
Segio tries to establish links with the inhabitants he meets. However, most are wary of him and his motivations. There are those who consider him a nuisance to rid and others who see him as an attractive brilliant object to try to influence. Perhaps they can take advantage of him or advance their own goals. In fact, the aforementioned sex worker was probably the most precise: so noble his intentions, Sergio seems passive and does not know where his priorities should be – a replacement for the incompetent benefits of the old colonizing nations which direct NGOs trying to live better in the countries they do not understand.
There are several stories in “I Resing in the Storm”, ranging from funny to too dramatic, simple with lots of metaphors, because the film follows Sergio through Guinea Bissau. Each of them plays like an autonomous thumbnail which could make a short film, and as with a short film composed of several stories, some are stronger than others. Although the demanding length of functionality manages to show how colonization continued to evolve through history, it also tests the patience of the public. Sometimes Pinho includes dry scenes where tangential characters are addressed to the camera with historical facts. On his credit, the director never offers easy answers, but rather than the public faces his prejudices. “I only rest in the storm” has vast ambitions but sometimes is overwhelmed by all the thematic subjects he wants to cover.
Apart from Sergio, only two other characters reproduce throughout, both of which have a romantic interest in him. The public is first presented in Diara, owner of a charismatic bar (played by Cleo Diára, who won an actor prize for his performance in Cannes). In a long scene that could be taken from a thriller from the 1970s, Sergio meets Diara as she tries to escape a man following it through a busy market. She uses Sergio as a lure, and he is immediately struck by this stranger in the blonde wig. The other character is Guilherme, or Gui (Jonathan Guilherme), a non -binary Brazilian expatriate woman who went to Africa to develop a deeper link with their ancestry. They become the person who challenges Sergio’s motivations by coming to Guinea Bissau as Europe of a former colonizing country.
Coragem has a pleasant presence on the screen, but the character is always the least interesting person in the situation he has put. Intentually, it serves as a substitution for the public, but it is so passive that questions arise on the reasons why we should worry about its fate. No wonder Diára and Guilherme do better, because their characters are more engaging. They act, comparing Sergio several times. Even if he seems to be in love with the two, he takes no measure to continue a relationship with either, waiting for them to take the initiative. Segio’s ineptus represents all the benefactors who never take a firm position and prefer to speak only to make changes – a difficult assignment for the actor, but which is thematically integrated into the rest of the film.
“I only rest in the storm” is the kind of film that thrives in a rarefied film environment like Cannes, offering so many discussion points that the public leaves the film wanting to discuss with each other. It provokes, entertains and annoys to an equal measure and thus inspires admirers and detractors. We hope that he goes beyond film festivals and in local cinemas around the world, especially in the world South, where “I Resing in the Storm” would most likely lead to the most passionate conversations, of people who recall his characters.
