António Cohen da Cunha Telles (26 February 1935 – 23 November 2022)Morreu produtor e realizador António da Cunha Telles, nome maior do Cinema Novo português
was a Portuguese film director and producer.

Biography

Telles was born on 26 February 1935, in

Funchal Funchal () officially Funchal City (), is the capital, largest city and a Municipality (Portugal), municipality in Portugal's Madeira, Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it ...

Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...

. He studied Medicine in the

University of Lisbon The University of Lisbon (ULisboa; ) is a public university, public research university in Lisbon, and Portugal's largest university. It was founded in 1911, but the university's present structure dates to the 2013 merger of the former Universit ...

. He went to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

around 1956, studying film-making at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques (IDHEC), graduating in 1961. Back to Portugal, he ran a newspaper called ''Imagens de Portugal (Images of Portugal)'', and assumed leading functions at the Cinema Services of State Entities. His directing debut was made with the documentary ''Os Transportes'' (1962), and starts activity as a producer, becoming one of the essential names of the ''Portuguese New Cinema ( Novo Cinema)'' movement. He produces ''

Os Verdes Anos ''Os Verdes Anos'' (The Green Years) is a 1963 Portuguese drama film directed by Paulo Rocha and written by Nuno Bragança. It was Rocha's first feature film. It stars Rui Gomes as Júlio, a young man who moves to Lisbon to try his luck as a s ...

'' (1963) by Paulo Rocha and ''

Belarmino ''Belarmino'' is a 1964 Portuguese docufiction. It charts the life and times of ex-boxer Belarmino Fragoso. It is one of the first films of the Portuguese Cinema Novo, itself part of a wave of New Cinemas sweeping the world in the 1960s, and a ...

'' (1964) by Fernando Lopes. In 1970, Cunha Telles directed his first feature-film, '' O Cerco''. Meanwhile, he established a distribution company (Animatógrafo) which becomes responsible for a revolution in the kind of cinema seen in Portugal in the first half of the 1970s. Eisenstein, Tanner,

Jorge Sanjines Jorge is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name George. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese . It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'') ...

, Littín,

Glauber Rocha Glauber de Andrade Rocha (; 14 March 1939 – 22 August 1981) was a Brazilian film director, actor and screenwriter. He was one of the most influential moviemakers of Brazilian cinema and a key figure of Cinema Novo. His films '' Black God, Whi ...

Vigo Vigo (, ; ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of province of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest ...

Gilles Carle Gilles Carle, (July 31, 1928As fully funny, Carle had pleasure to always give himself one year less, and to let people think wrongly that he was born in 1929, "The Year of the Big World Crash": see on the Quebec French newspapers that many write ...

, Karmitz, among others, became more familiar to the Portuguese audience through that distributor. During the 1970s, Telles directed three films: ''Meus Amigos'' (1974) and '' Continuar a Viver'' (1976) signed by himself, '' As Armas e o Povo'' (1975) together with other directors. In the end of the decade, Cunha Telles is found high placed as the leader of the

Portuguese Cinema Institute Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

and the

Tobis Portuguesa Tobis Portuguesa is a Portuguese film production and lab processing company. Established in June 3, 1932, Tobis produced many of the major works in Portuguese cinema for three decades. History Founded in 1932, Tobis originally focused on film p ...

. In 1983, he returns to production, since the Animatógrafo firm was divided in one sector of distribution (still in activity, conducted by Renée Gagnon - the current

Marfilmes Marfilmes is a Portuguese distributor specialized in Portuguese-speaking cinema from classics to moderns, dealing particularly with Portuguese-African speaking films. The company collaborated with the African Film Library and increased the scope o ...

) and one sector of production, headed by himself (together with his daughter

Pandora da Cunha Telles In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hesiod related it, each god cooperated by giving her unique gifts. Her other name—inscribed against her figure on a white-ground ''kyli ...

- the current Filmes de Fundo), which is dedicated to its own productions as well as assuring executive productions of foreign films partially shot in Portugal, counting since that date with a large number of productions, with films directed by names like

José Fonseca e Costa José Fonseca e Costa, GCIH (27 June 1933 – 1 November 2015) was a Portuguese film director. He was one of the founders of the Portuguese Cinema Novo. Born in Angola, Costa worked as an assistant to Michelangelo Antonioni before becoming one ...

Eduardo Geada Eduardo Geada (born May 21, 1945 in Lisbon) is a Portuguese film director, screenwriter and professor. Generic He graduated in Anglo-American Studies at the Faculty of Arts of Lisbon University in 1976. He was active in the film club movement ...

Joaquim Leitão Joaquim Leitão, ComIH, OM (born 1956) is a Portuguese film director. He won two Golden Globe Awards, in 1996 for '' Adão e Eva'' and in 1998 for ''Tentação''.

Edgar Pêra Edgar Henrique Clemente Pêra (born 19 November 1960) is a Portugal, Portuguese filmmaker. Pêra is also a fine artist and a graphic comics artist . and writes fiction and cinema essays (PhD). Edgar Pêra studied Psychology, but switched to Fi ...

António de Macedo António de Macedo (5 July 1931 − 5 October 2017) was a Portuguese filmmaker, writer, university professor and lecturer. He gave up filmmaking in the 1990s as he felt systematically excluded from the state support programs of the Portuguese ...

António-Pedro Vasconcelos António-Pedro Saraiva de Barros e Vasconcelos Order of Infante D. Henrique, GCIH (10 March 1939 – 5 March 2024) was a Portuguese film director. Personal life Vasconcelos was the middle of three sons of Guilherme de Barros e Vasconcelos (Celo ...

and among several telefilms and a countless number of executive productions. The later films directed by Cunha Telles include ''Vidas'' (1984), ''Pandora'' (1996) and, more recently, '' Kiss Me'' (2004), the first and only cinematic experience of the top model Marisa Cruz.

Filmography

Director

*'' Kiss Me'' (2004) *''Pandora'' (1996) *''Vidas'' (1984) *'' Continuar a Viver'' (1976) *''As Armas e o Povo'' (1975)- various directors *''Meus Amigos'' (1974) *'' O Cerco'' (1970) *''Os Transportes'' (1962)

Producer

*''Quinze Pontos na Alma'', by

Vicente Alves do Ó Vicente is a Spanish and Portuguese name. Like its French variant, Vincent, it is derived from the Latin name ''Vincentius'' meaning "conquering" (from Latin ''vincere'', "to conquer"). Vicente may refer to: Places *São Vicente, Cape Verde, an i ...

(2009) *''How to Draw a Perfect Circle'', by

Marco Martins Marco Martins (born 1972) is a Portuguese Film and Theatre director, best known for his 2005 film ''Alice'', which premiered at Cannes and won the Best Picture Award at the Directors' Fortnight. Biography In 1994 Marco Martins graduated from L ...

(2009) *''América (filme), América'', by

João Nuno Pinto João is a given name of Portuguese origin. It is equivalent to the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the s ...

(2009) *'' A Corte do Norte'', by

João Botelho João Manuel Relvas Leopoldo Botelho (born 1949) is a Portuguese film director. He has directed and written the screenplays of numerous films. His films have won several awards. His works have been nominated for the Venice Film Festival's Gold ...

(2008) *''

Terra Sonâmbula Sleepwalking Land (in Portuguese: ''Terra Sonâmbula'') is a novel written by Mia Couto, a Mozambican writer, first published in Portuguese in 1992 and translated into English by David Brookshaw in 2006. In 1995, the novel received the Nation ...

'', by Teresa Prata (2007) *''Hotel Tivoli'', by

Antón Reixa Antón is a corregimiento in Antón District, Coclé Province, Panama. It is located near the north-western shore of the Gulf of Panama The Gulf of Panama () is a gulf of the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of Panama, where most of east ...

(2007) *''Nome de Código: Sintra'', by

Jorge Paixão da Costa Jorge is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name George. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese . It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'' ...

(2007, TV series) *''

O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), p ...

'', by

(2007) *''Parte de Mim'', by

Margarida Leitão Margarida is a Portuguese female given name, which is a variant of the name Margaret, and which also means " daisy flower" in Portuguese.''Behind the Name''"Given Name Margarida". Retrieved on 28 January 2016. The given name may refer to: * Mar ...

(2006) *''Fin de curso'', by Miguel Martí (2005) *''Entre o Desejo e o Destino'', by

(2005, curta-metragem) *''Macao sans retour'', by

Michale Boganim Michale Boganim () is a French-Israeli screenwriter and film director.Berlin Film Festival (2005)Filmarchive: ''Odessa Odessa'' p. 4. Retrieved 9 July 2016 Retrieved 8 July 2016 . Her feature-length films include '' La Terre outragée'' (2011) or ...

(2004) *''Kiss Me'', by António da Cunha Telles (2004) *''Maria e as Outras'', by

José Sá Caetano José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...

(2004) *''Jaime'', by

(1998) *''

Sur un air de mambo ''Sur un air de mambo'' is a 1996 television film directed by Jean-Louis Bertuccelli and written by him and Sabine Ullmann. It stars Catherine Jacob and it was broadcast on France 2 in 1996. Main cast * Catherine Jacob as Arlette * Bernard Al ...

'', by

Jean-Louis Bertucelli Jean-Louis Bertuccelli (3 June 1942 – 6 March 2014) was a French film director and screenwriter. He died in March 2014, aged 71. Selected filmography *'' Ramparts of Clay'' (1971) *'' Docteur Françoise Gailland'' (1976) *'' The Accuser'' ...

(1996) *''Pandora'', by António Da Cunha Telles (1996) *''Passagem por Lisboa'', by

(1994) *'' Aqui na Terra'', by

(1993) *''A Linha do Horizonte'', by Fernando Lopes (1992) *''Requiem para um Narciso'', by

João Pedro Ruivo João is a given name of Portuguese origin. It is equivalent to the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the s ...

(1992, TV series "A La Minute") *''Rosa Negra'', by

Margarida Gil Maria Margarida Gil Lopes' (born 1950) is a Portuguese filmmaker, teacher and artist. She has been president of the Association of Portuguese Directors. She collaborated with and was married to the director, actor and film critic, João César M ...

(1991) *''Le Blocus'', by

(1990, TV series "Napoleon et l'Europe" ) *''O Bobo'', by

José Álvaro Morais José Álvaro Morais (September 2, 1943 - January 30, 2004) was a Portuguese film director. His film ''O Bobo'' won the Golden Leopard at the 1987 Locarno International Film Festival. Filmography *''Cantigamente Nº 3'' (1975) *''Ma Femme Chamada ...

(1987) *''Uma Aventura em Lisboa'', by

(1989, TV series) *'' Sans peur et sans reproche'', by

Gérard Jugnot Gérard Jugnot (; born 4 May 1951) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. Jugnot was one of the founders of the comedy ''troupe'' Le Splendid in the 1970s, along with, among others, his high-school friends Christian C ...

(1988) *''Paraíso Perdido'', by Alberto Seixas Santos (1986) *''Vidas'', by António da Cunha Telles (1983) *''Contactos'', by Leandro Ferreira (1982) *''Saudades Para D. Genciana'', by

(1981) *''Uma Experiência'', by Paulo Rocha (1970, short) *''Alta Velocidade'', by

(1967, short) *''Mudar de Vida'', by Paulo Rocha (1966) *''

Domingo à Tarde Domingo may refer to: People *Domingo (name), a Spanish name and list of people with that name *Domingo (producer) (born 1970), American hip-hop producer *Saint Dominic (1170–1221), Castilian Catholic priest, founder of the Friars popularly cal ...

'', by

(1966) *''

O Trigo e o Joio O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), p ...

'', by Manuel Guimarães (1965) *''Catembe'', by Faria de Almeida (1965) *'' As Ilhas Encantadas'', by

Carlos Vilardebó Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...

(1965) * '' The Crime of Aldeia Velha'', by Manuel Guimarães (1964) *''La peau douce'', by

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. He came under the tutelage of film critic Andre Bazin as a ...

(1964, co-production) *''Belarmino'', by Fernando Lopes (1964) *''Le triangle circulaire'', by

Pierre Kast Pierre Kast (; 22 September 192020 October 1984) was a French people, French screenwriter, film and television director, and freedom fighter. Biography Prior to his work in film, Kast was a resistance activist in World War II, opposing the Vichy F ...

(1964, co-production) * '' Not Three'', by A. Dornet (1964) * ''

Portuguese Vacation ''Portuguese Vacation'' (French: ''Vacances portugaises'') is a 1963 French-Portuguese drama film directed by Pierre Kast and starring Françoise Arnoul, Michel Auclair and Jean-Pierre Aumont.Oscherwitz & Higgins p.26 Cast * Françoise Arnoul as ...

'', by

(1963, co-production) *''Les Chemins du Soleil'', by

(1963, short) *''

'', by Paulo Rocha (1963) *''P.X.O.'', de

e J. Daniel Valcroze (1962, short)

Bibliographic References

* ''O Cais do Olhar'' by

José de Matos-Cruz José de Matos-Cruz (born 9 February 1947) is a Portuguese writer, journalist, editor, high-school teacher, investigator, encyclopedist. From 1980 to 2010, he worked at the '' Cinemateca Portuguesa'' (Portuguese Film Archive) in Lisbon. He is a pr ...

Portuguese Cinematheque Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

, 1999 * ''Dicionário do Cinema Português (1962–1988)'' by

Jorge Leitão Ramos Jorge is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name George. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese . It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'' ...

, Editorial Caminho, SA,

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

, 1989

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Telles, Antonio Da Cunha 1935 births 2022 deaths People from Funchal Portuguese film directors Portuguese film producers 20th-century Portuguese Jews Grand Officers of the Order of Prince Henry Institut des hautes études cinématographiques alumni

Biography

Filmography

Director

Producer

See also

Bibliographic References

References

External links