Inspired by the Biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, Pródigo explores a devastated relationship between a father and a son who wishes to make amends. Independently funded through a production grant from Fundação GDA, the project later attracted a production company to bring it to life. Shot on 16mm film over a single weekend, at the height of the Summer wildfires in Portugal.

My role: Writer, Director, Editor

What I brought to it: This was a personal project in the fullest sense, conceived, written, directed, and edited independently. The decision to shoot on 16mm was deliberate, the grain and texture of the format serving the emotional rawness of the story in a way digital simply wouldn't. Shooting over a weekend under extreme conditions, with wildfires raging around the locations, added a layer of urgency and pressure that ultimately found its way into the film. The relationship at the centre of the story, guilt, longing, and the difficulty of return, required a visual language that felt intimate and unresolved. The edit carried that intention through to the final frame.

Premiere: Caminhos Film Festival, one of Portugal's most prestigious film festivals.