The Beira Grand Hotel, once a glamorous whites only palace in colonial Mozambique, today a shelter for 3,500 people. No electricity, no water - and no sadness.

In the colonial era the Grande Hotel in the city of Beira was the largest in Mozambique: 350 rooms, luxurious suites, Olympic-sized swimming pool… At present the building, which is in ruins, with no electricity or running water, is inhabited by 3,500 people. Some have been living there for twenty years. In addition to the rooms, the foyers, corridors, service areas and basement of the hotel - here it's always night-time - also serve as residences. No trace of sadness of self pity in this luminous documentary.

Mozambique

Director : Licínio Azevedo
Writer : Licínio Azevedo
Camera : Karl de Sousa
Sound : Gabriel Mondlane
Editing : Orlando Mesquita
Music : Chico António

Production : Ebano Multimedia,
Rua Doutor Almeida Ribeiro 58,
Maputo, Mozambique
Tel: +258 2132 7848
Fax: +258 2132 7847
E-mail: ebano@tropical.co.mz

Sales : MARFILMES
(www.marfilmes.com)
Av. Duque de Loulé 79 R/C Dto. A,
1200-088 Lisbonne, Portugal
Tel: +351 2 1314 0339
Fax: +351 2 1353 3075
E-mail: marfilmes@netcabo.pt

Format: Betacam Digital. Colour
Running time: 53 min
Year of production: 2007

AWARDS
Gold Fipa Biarritz Film Festival;
Best Documentary in Brussels Africa Taille XL;
Closing film of Input Festival, Johannesburg

FESTIVALS
Amakula Kampala International - Uganda;
African Perspectives - Delft;
Festival do Rio - Brazil