Phantom

Colour, 35mm
Portugal, 2000, 90 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

The major part of young Sérgio’s life is dominated by anonymous sex with men, encounters which he spices up with a latex suit and a mask stretched over his head. On a more mundane note, he’s also a night-time rubbish collector. Sérgio feels quite at home among the garbage as it is an inexhaustible source of fetishism. His best friend is named Lorde, a dog with whom he sometimes shares food and a bed. He is incapable of normal relationships and thus rejects the affection of a co-worker named Fátima. One day, however, Sérgio meets the man of his dreams and starts to follow and watch him. He tries to attract the man’s attention in the only way he seems to know how – by breaking into his house and urinating on his bed like a dog. Sérgio becomes incapable of controlling his behaviour but this time things aren’t going to be played according to his set of rules.

About the director

Joao Pedro Rodrigues (b. 1966, Lisbon) studied biology at Lisbon Sciences University. In 1985 he went on to the Lisbon Film School from which he graduated in 1989. From then until 1996 he worked as an assistant director and editor. His own film career got under way with the short movie Happy Birthday! (Parabéns!, 1997), followed by the documentary This is My House/Journey to Expo (Esta é a minha casa/Viagem a expo, 1998 - 1999). Phantom (O Fantasma, 2000) is his first feature film and was shown in the competition at the Venice IFF 2000.