THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE (A árvore do Conhecimento)
Eugène Green‘s absurdist film THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE comes to Fantastic Fest 2025. Presented in three parts. The first piece finds Gaspar leaving his home for a more exciting life in Lisbon, only to be kidnapped by a man named Ogre. Ogre made a deal with the devil in exchange for the ability to turn tourists into animals and sell their meat for profit. Yes, you read all those words correctly. When Ogre discovers the public’s suspicions, Gaspar runs away with the donkey, Helena, and dog, Frederico, whom he has grown fond of. Still with me?
Parts Two & Three: now wandering the land, the animals in tow, Gaspar’s existential crisis continues as he meets spirits, resides in a manor, converses with religious icons, all while Ogre and his minion pursue him. The film is A LOT. Green continues his signature style with static cameras capturing 4th wall-breaking deadpan delivery. Honestly, it will either be a winner for audiences or a total miss. The complexity of satire is laugh-out-loud funny, but outside intellectual circles, it might be a tough pill to swallow.
I have to give the cast props for their commitment to Green’s writing. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE has an overall visual that is sharp and lush. If you can stick with the pacing and tongue-in-cheek satire, this is a rare gem. FF 2025 is the right place for its World Premiere.
Feature Film (Portugal/France)
(World Premiere, 2025, 100 mins, In Portuguese with English subtitles)
(Dark Comedy/ Fantasy)
Directed by: Eugène Green
Producers: Luís Urbano, Sandro Aguilar and Julien Naveau.
Starring: Rui Pedro Silva, Ana Moreira, Diogo Dória, João Arrais.
FF 2025 OFFICIAL SCREENINGS
Location: Alamo Drafthouse Lamar
Address: 1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Thu, Sep 18th, 8:45 PM @ Theater 1
Thu, Sep 18th, 8:45 PM @ Theater 3
Tue, Sep 23rd, 6:00 PM @ Theater 8
In biblical terms, the “Tree of Knowledge” symbolizes the beginning of free will and the ability to tell right from wrong. For filmmaker Eugène Green, THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE is also a metaphor for a spiritual awakening, a catalyst for internal renewal in the context of a widespread mass tourism boom in Europe.
Gaspard (Rui Pedro Silva), a teenager from the suburbs of Lisbon, falls into the hands of the Ogre, a man who has made a pact with the Devil. The Ogre uses the boy to attract tourists, whom he transforms into animals and then kills. Gaspard escapes with a donkey and a dog that he has grown fond of, and in an enchanted manor, he meets the spirit of Queen D. Maria I of Portugal. Meanwhile, enraged, the Ogre sets off in pursuit. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE
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