Miguel Moreira as 'Miguel' and 'Djon' in Djon África
Terratreme Films is relatively new, having been founded in 2008 by a group of film makers determined to make a difference. Immediately, with productions like Pedro Pinho and Frederico Lobo’s ‘The Nothing Factory’ (2007), Vasco Viana Rita Maia’s ‘Lisbon Beat’ (2019) and ‘Ordinary Time’ by Susana Nobre, they made an impact. Some of these productions have examined the influence of the music and culture that the African immigrants have brought with them to Portugal, now Miguel in ‘Djon África’ goes in the opposite direction, travelling to Cabo Verde in search of his roots.
In this film, the directors have produced what could almost be a sequel to their earlier productions as they once again cast the real-life musician and non- professional actor, Miguel Moreira (also known as Tibars and Djon África) who had previously appeared in two of the director’s previous films ‘Li Ké Terra’ and ‘Fora de Vida’.
Djon in Cabo Verde
The spontaneity of the style of filming in this production gives it an authentic edge so that this can be classified as docu-fiction. The director Filipa Reis and João Miller Guerra created a film about a journey both in the mind and in reality, as musician Miguel Moreira born and raised in Lisbon, travels to Cabo Verde in search of his ‘good for nothing’ father who left before he was born, travelling as much in his imagination as in reality, so much so that at times it is hard to separate his dreams from reality.
The starting point for this story is the result of a chance encounter. An irascible old lady he meets in the streets of Lisbon points out how, despite his rasta hair, he still looks exactly like his unreliable rascal of a skirt-chasing father. It awakens in Miguel the curiosity to discover more about his roots and armed with the very limited information his grandmother is able to provide, he flies out to Cabo Verde full of hope and a vivid imagination, to search for his elusive dad. The film explores identity as the friendly Miguel admits he does not feel Portuguese despite being born in Lisbon, yet when he arrives in Cabo Verde it is clear he is seen as a ‘foreigner’ there as well. This is the story of so many immigrants with one foot in each country never fully in any. In the search for his family roots Miguel hopes to find that identity,
Miguel not only never knew his father, but then, was abandoned by his mother at the age of three to be brought up by his grandmother. So, while Miguel with his gentle affable nature is fired by optimism and hope, few feel that he will not be bitterly disappointed. His patient grandmother brought him up without too many complaints despite the fact he hangs about doing very little, working sporadically in construction and spending time with friends shoplifting whenever he can. When he tells her of his plans to go to Cabo Verde in search of his father, she complains: “… You prefer to go to Cabo Verde to look for your father rather than help me out [now that I am old].”
The fact that the cast is non- professional adds to the natural pace of the production, that can feel too slow and appears to wander and lose its way, much like Miguel himself, who chooses to change his name to Djon. Once in Cabo Verde, the omens are not good. Upon arrival he soon discovers that his aunt Tintinha, who should have information on his father, has died a year earlier. Shortly after, not being one to pay attention to advice: “…Always take it in moderation, it is your friend or your enemy”, he manages to drink too much ‘grogue’, a cane-sugar liquor and gets all his money taken by the pretty girl he picks up. Despite these incidents and being teased for being a ‘foreigner’, he is constantly amazed by the unconditional warmth and generosity of the people.
It is in Cabo Verde on a ferry between the islands, that he is persuaded by an old woman called Maria Antonia to help out with her animals at her smallholding in return for food and lodgings.
This is a little gem of a sequence and we could have done with more of that. Miguel quickly calls her granny and learns to feed the animals, separate the beans from their husks and use the traditional methods to grind grain. He is not very proficient and she criticizes him, so he teases her for being rude: “I’m not rude, I’m dangerous when they mess with me… if I have had ‘grogue’, I push all the buttons!” It is disturbing when he realizes that Maria Antonia has died and he moves on his pilgrimage, with no explanation of what happened to her animals, that by then we had also warmed to. This feels like a strange gap in the story.
The cinematographer Vasco Viana has a feast with the stunning beauty of the Cabo Verde landscapes. The island, or islands, are a former Portuguese colony formed by an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands. Situated 350 miles off the west coast of Africa, these islands have lovely sandy beaches, dramatic skylines, colours and textures, but are still harbouring a darker past. They grew prosperous during the Altantic slave trade, attracting pirates and merchants. The end of slavery led to their decline until they became a stopover for shipping routes, finally achieving independence in 1975.
But it is at this point that the lack of a story structure lets the production down, in that it ambles along almost like a commercial for the islands. Yet in a sense, there is something in the timing, as we also see Djon (Miguel) gradually coming together as a person, till he is able to say with confidence: “I am my own father”. In all this, his ginger-haired girlfriend, waiting for him in Lisbon, texts him to let him know she is pregnant. Fatherhood takes on another dimension.
Djon’s journey is complete. He does not need to search any longer, at one point an older man stops and stares at him, a man whose appearance is surprisingly similar to his, but Djon has moved on. For good, now.
A powerful ingredient that bubbles throughout the production are the absolutely amazing musical tracks, from ‘Cudin’ (written by Miguel as John Tibars Africa Noventaz) that won an award for Best Original Music Track to the final catchy songtrack ‘Aleluia’ by Pedrinho. This is music with energy to last a lifetime, with mesmerizing lilts and rhythms.
'Djon África' opened in selected UK cinemas on August 16.
Directed Filipa Reis and João Miller Guerra
Writers João Miller Guerra and Pedro Pinho
Cinematography Vasco Viana
Production Pedro Pinho/ João Miller Guerra and Filipa Reis.
Editors Luisa Homem, Ricardo Pretti, and Eduardo Serrano
Cast: Miguel Moreira, Patricia Soso, Bitori Cha Bibinha , Isabel Cardoso
