Three Lives and Only One Death

Retrospective

Three Lives and Only One Death

Trois Vies & Une Seule Mort

France, Portugal 1966 Fiction cor 120 min.

Mateo Strano is a sales representative who goes on a short trip. Unbeknownst to anyone, he simply starts living in the house across the street for 20 years. One day, without any explanation, he returns to his own home, surprising his wife, Maria. Meanwhile, the famous and wealthy anthropology professor George Vickers becomes a beggar and falls in love with a prostitute named Tania. Additionally, the powerful businessman Luc Allamand creates a fake family for himself abroad. Later, he receives a letter informing him of his relatives’ imminent visit. These seemingly separate and surreal stories, oscillating between the absurd and the nightmarish, all belong to a single man divided between his multiple personalities. However, despite having three lives, he can’t escape the fact that he will only have one death.

Winner of the critics’ award at the 20th Mostra in 1996.

France Portugal comedy mystery international film festivals awarded films

direction

Raúl Ruiz

screenplay

Raúl Ruiz, Pascal Bonitzer

cinematography

Laurent Machuel

editing

Rodolfo Wedeles

sound

Laurent Poirier

music

Jorge Arriagada

production design

Luc Chalon

cast

Marcello Mastroianni, Chiara Mastroianni, Anna Galiena, Marisa Paredes, Melvil Poupaud

production

Paulo Branco

produced by

Gemini Films, La Sept Cinéma, Madragoa Filmes

world sales

Le Bureau Films

contact

[email protected]

indicative rating

16