Banzo

Banzo is a 2024 Portuguese-language drama written and directed by Portuguese filmmaker Margarida Cardoso. A co-production of France, the Netherlands, and Portugal, the film confronts the historical scars left by Portuguese colonialism in Africa, taking its title from the concept of "banzo," the profound melancholy and homesickness endured by enslaved people.

Set in the early twentieth century on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe, the story follows Afonso, a doctor assigned to cure laborers afflicted by this "pathological nostalgia," which at times ends in suicide; his medical approach fails because he cannot grasp the emotional and spiritual dimension of their suffering. Carloto Cotta and Hoji Fortuna star. The film premiered in national competition at IndieLisboa 2024, winning best Portuguese feature, swept the 15th Sophia Awards with ten prizes including Best Film and Best Director, and was Portugal's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature.