A Trança Feiticeira

Bewitching Braid, a romance/historical drama film based on the classic eponymous book, screened yesterday at the Passion Cinematheque in Macau to thunderous applause. The film was shot in 1994/5 and is considered one of the first Macau co-productions ever, directed by Cai An-an with Ricardo Carriço and Ning Jing in the lead roles. With a Felliniesque touch, Cai An An takes us on a journey through 1930s Macau where a young man of Portuguese ancestry born into a rich family falls in love with a Chinese "water carrier" girl from the other side of town. A moving love story penned by Macanese novelist Henrique de Senna Fernandes and punctuated with a Felliniesque directorial touch by Cai An-an, this film takes us through the trials and tribulations of an unlikely relationship that faces the barriers of a divided society in 1930s Macau, much of which still resonates till this day. A gem of independent cinema, Macau's complex history, and a definite joy for film buffs and moviegoers alike.