Exhibition of the film “Os Olhos da Ásia” at Cinemateca Portuguesa

On January 30, 2025, between 4 pm and 7 pm, Cinemateca Portuguesa will host a screening of the film “Os Olhos da Ásia” (1996) by Portuguese director João Mário Grilo in the Luís de Pina Room. This event is part of the closing of the photographic and bibliographic exhibition “Kakure Kirishitan - Hidden Christians”, currently on display at the João Paulo II University Library.

The film, predominantly spoken in Japanese and subtitled in English, takes an in-depth look at the impact of Portuguese Jesuit missionaries in Japan between the 16th and 17th centuries. Based on the novel of the same name by Japanese writer Shusaku Endo, which also inspired Martin Scorsese’s “The Silence”, “Os Olhos da Ásia” takes a unique approach by exploring the intertwined stories of Cristóvão Ferreira and Julião Nakaura, figures who faced religious persecution during the times when Christianity was banned in Japan.

Through a narrative that combines faith, resistance, and the complexities of contact between cultures, João Mário Grilo's film distinguishes itself by treating both perspectives - those who renounce their faith and those who keep it until death - with balance and depth.

Please note that the session will be limited to the room's capacity. To guarantee a seat, we request a reservation via the library’s e-mail address: biblioteca.lisboa@ucp.pt.