Porto (2016)

Directed by: Gabe Klinger | 76 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Anton Yelchin, Lucie Lucas, Paulo Calatré, Françoise Lebrun, Florie Auclerc-Vialens, Diana de Sousa, Rita Pinheiro, Aude Pépin

Jake (Anton Yelchin) and Mati (Lucie Lucas) meet for the first time at an archaeological dig, then that day on the train, at the station, and finally at a restaurant. It cannot but be fate: they are destined for each other. They spend the rest of the evening together, making love and making love to each other. Eternally. But soon in ‘Porto’, Gabe Klinger’s feature film debut, you realize that forever can be taken with a large grain of salt.

By playing with different film shooting techniques, Super 8, 16mm and 35mm, Klinger shows the different perspectives of this short but intense love story. We see the story of their meeting first through the eyes and in Jake’s memories, then we get to see Mati’s story, not only how she experienced that intense meeting, but also how she is doing – years later. This way you get more and more information and you will therefore interpret the previous fragments differently. The last part of the film is devoted to the shared story.

‘Porto’ is set in the city of the same name in Portugal (the second city after Lisbon) and therefore has a nice atmosphere. The city is as much a character in the film as Jake and Mati are and makes the city trippers in the audience long for evening walks along the river or exploring the narrow alleys of the old city center. However, the star of the film is Anton Yelchin, from whom it is difficult to take your eyes off. Keeping in mind that this is one of his last roles, it’s all the more painful to watch him act at the top of his game. Every fiber of his body acts, every glance speaks volumes, which is nice, since the dialogues don’t reveal much. However, don’t discount his co-star Lucie Lucas, who melts your heart with her warm smile and explains the different phases of her character’s life just as convincingly as Yelchin.

Despite some shortcomings – the middle part of the film has some tempo problems and the free interpretation of the tragic-romantic story will not appeal to every viewer – Klinger has made a strong feature film debut with ‘Porto’, which for the time being will mainly be known as Yelchin’s swan song. , but judging by the promising talent of the film maker, later it will undoubtedly be mainly associated with his own name.