A Citizen of the World

O’ Herio was a film that held my attention for many reasons.  To begin with, I had not known that Angola had been colonized by Portugal and I was not prepared to hear the Portuguese language.  My ears expected to hear something completely foreign, but instead I was constantly reminded of my own family.   My sister’s husband is Portuguese and hearing Manu cry out for his pai, his father, would bring to my mind my young nephews and my sister’s in-laws. 

I was very interested in the character Pedro, a man who looked Portuguese, spoke Portuguese, studied abroad, but when he returned he thought of Angola as his home.  Pedro does not have a homeland.  He is instead a citizen of a social class and prosperous economy; he could make his home anywhere.  His status is his passport.  Unlike Vitorio, who must struggle to get from place to place, Pedro can go wherever he likes.  Pedro and Vitorio are binary opposites; Pedro could be a citizen of any country in the world while Vitorio will always be a citizen of Angola.