Way too sprawling and loosely-episodic to work effectively, the Portuguese auteur nevertheless gives us a rather cerebral docu-fictive, music-infused meta-film centering on the vibrancy and eccentricity of a small town blessed with a strong festive spirit.

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Miguel Gomes’ second feature after The Face You Deserve (2004), which I unfortunately didn’t like, Our Beloved Month of August is a much more compelling film in comparison.  Having said that, the film is way too sprawling and loosely-episodic to work effectively, running at close to 150 minutes. 

Though some might find the leisurely pacing a welcome touristy delight as Gomes brings us around a Portuguese small town, following what appears to be a family band that performs songs and dances during the night. 

Much of the first half of August works like a documentary, as we literally see Gomes getting his crew set up at various locales in order to shoot a film (or is it this film?)—and in a few scenes, having rather restrained conversations with his producer who’s annoyed with his process, or lack thereof. 

From casting problems to production delays, it’s a wonder whether the film would ever get made.  (Perhaps what we are seeing in August is a rough cut, not yet edited to satisfaction, and hence its sprawling nature?) 

“Do you still remember how it all began, love?”

In any case, Gomes’ work is a cerebral piece of docu-fictive, music-infused meta-film, posing questions about authenticity and realism.  Is everything naturalistic or performative?  As we get into the second half, that question grows into greater prominence as August slowly becomes more like a traditional film. 

It’s hard to pin down where reality ends and fiction starts, but what is immediately translatable from the get-go is the vibrancy and eccentricity of the people who reside in this small town. 

It’s August, a month of festivities and reunions—as locals return from far away to visit their family homes, or as tourists soak in the atmosphere vicariously, the film becomes an ethnographic record of a way of life.

Grade: B-

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Trailer: