The President of the Republic addressed a message of condolences to the Family of cinema director José Fonseca e Costa.

Following is the text of the message from President Cavaco Silva:

“Upon receiving the news of the passing away of José Fonseca e Costa, I address the bereaved Family my very deepest condolences.

Throughout several decades, José Fonseca e Costa was celebrated as one of the most creative and talented Portuguese cinema directors. Works such as «Kilas, o Mau da Fita» (Kilas, the Bad Guy), «Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites» (Five Days, Five Nights), or «Balada da Praia dos Cães» (Ballad of Hound’s Beach), are markers of 20th century Portuguese cinema which very aptly gained the applause of critics and public.

A defender of the ideals of freedom and democracy, José Fonseca e Costa was an opponent of the dictatorship and early stood out as one of the main names of the New Cinema. His works were extraordinarily successful and very recently earned him the Career Prize of the Academy of Portuguese Cinema.

With his passing away, Portuguese cinema and culture will be the poorer, losing one of their most relevant names.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva”