#flora gomes

The blue eye of Yonta by Flora Gomes, 1991.

The Blue Eyes of Yonta / Udju azul de Yonta (1991/2 film by Flora Gomes)

Yonta is a beautiful young woman growing up in the city of Bissau, a generation after her nation has gained independence. She develops a secret crush on Vincente, a good friend of her family and a hero of their country’s struggle, beginning a story of unrequited love in the developing city. Meanwhile, Yonta herself has a secret admirer, a shy young man names Zé, who sends her love letters copied from a Scandinavian book. It is from one such letter that the film gets its title. A lovely, delicate work about youthful illusions, both personal and national, that powerfully demonstrates director Flora Gomes’s marvelous talent for eliciting wonderfully nuanced performances. Only the second film from Guinea Bissau and Gomes, The Blue Eyes of Yonta shows us how alike we all are when it comes to matters of the heart.

taken from: https://africanfilmny.org/films/the-blue-eyes-of-yonta-udju-azul-de-yonta/