Pedro Pinho’s “I Only Rest in the Storm” premieres at 63rd New York Film Festival

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The 63rd New York Film Festival will host the North American premiere of Pedro Pinho’s latest cinematic odyssey, I Only Rest in the Storm, on October 5 and 6. The Portuguese director will attend alongside lead actress Cleo Diára, who won Best Actress in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section earlier this year.

About Pedro Pinho’s I Only Rest in the Storm

The film follows Sérgio (played by Sérgio Coragem), a European consultant sent to Guinea-Bissau to evaluate a highway project’s environmental impact. What unfolds is a 217-minute exploration of postcolonial desire, power, and the contradictions of development work in African nations. Shot in Portuguese and Creole with English subtitles, the film blends intimacy and critique with bold, fluid storytelling.

Pinho describes the film as a reflection on how imperial centers impose their worldview on the rest of humanity. “New York, with all its brilliance, symbolizes the image-producing core of Western-European civilization,” he said. “It’s a privilege to share this story here.”

Screening Details:

• Sunday, October 5 at 6 p.m. — Walter Reade Theater (165 W 65th Street)
• Monday, October 6 at 4:30 p.m. — Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center (144 W 65th Street)

Each screening includes a Q&A with Pinho and Diára. Both venues are located between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Tickets are available at NYFF I Only Rest in the Storm.

The film is a co-production between Portugal’s Uma Pedra no Sapato and Terratreme Films, France’s Still Moving, Brazil’s Bubbles Project, and Romania’s deFilm. Paradise City Sales handles global distribution.

With its daring length and layered themes, I Only Rest in the Storm promises to challenge and captivate festival audiences.

For ticket information, please visit here.