Film Review: TABU

TABU is a very unusual film, that's difficult to describe, but I guess I could say... it's black and white, set first in a Lisbon apartment complex and then flashing back 50 years to colonial Africa to tell a story of romance, humour and tragedy. TABU doesn't follow the normal structure of film narrative ...and is oddly fascinating. The second part of the film bravely changes directions and becomes 'like' a silent film with sound effects, music and a voice over telling the rest of the story. The language is Portuguese with English subtitles.

Ana Moreira and Carloto Cotta in TABU

Winner of the Alfred Bauer Prize for Artistic Innovation and the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at the Berlinale, TABU is the third feature film from director Miguel Gomes and one of the Official SFF Competition films. The Australian Premiere is on 10 June at 7.15pm and there's a second screening on 11 June 11.45am, at the State Theatre.