The Luminous Life is a wistful, romantic adventure through the winding streets of Lisbon, where 30-something Nicolau floats between past loves, uncertain futures, and the beautiful mess of in-between. After a breakup and still chasing a band that never quite made it, he moves through the city like a dreamer out of time—reconnecting with people, possibilities, and paths not taken. João Rosas crafts a tender, quietly radiant portrait of modern adulthood—full of humor, heart, and chance encounters that might just change everything. Lisbon pulses with life and memory, becoming both backdrop and companion in this gentle ode to hesitation, reinvention, and the soft courage of starting again. With its breezy rhythms and introspective charm, it echoes the spirit of French New Wave wanderers—intelligent, searching, and irresistibly human. —João Federici
A Luminous Life (Una Vida Luminosa) es una aventura romántica y nostálgica por las serpenteantes calles de Lisboa, donde Nicolau, de unos treinta años, flota entre amores pasados, futuros inciertos y el hermoso caos de lo intermedio. Tras una ruptura y aún persiguiendo a una banda que nunca llegó a despegar, se mueve por la ciudad como un soñador perdido en el tiempo, reconectando con personas, posibilidades y caminos no tomados. João Rosas crea un retrato tierno y silenciosamente radiante de la edad adulta moderna, lleno de humor, corazón y encuentros fortuitos que podrían cambiarlo todo. Lisboa late con vida y memoria, convirtiéndose tanto en escenario como en compañera en esta dulce oda a la duda, la reinvención y el delicado coraje de comenzar de nuevo. Con sus ritmos ligeros y encanto introspectivo, evoca el espíritu de los vagabundos de la Nouvelle Vague francesa: inteligentes, buscadores e irresistiblemente humanos. —João Federici
João Rosas is a filmmaker and the author of three collections of short stories. Among his short films and documentaries are My mother is a pianist (2005); Birth of a City (2009); Entrecampos (2012); Maria do Mar (2015), a prize winner in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil; and Catavento (2020), which won the prize for Best Short Film at BAFICI 2021 and a Special Mention from the Jury at the Festival du Cinéma de Brive. His latest documentary, Death of a City (2022), won the DocAlliance Award 2023 for Best Feature. The Luminous Lifeis his debut narrative feature.