Comida de domingo

On the eve of turning ninety, Mr. Rui Nabeiro recalls his life. In the background, the border Alentejo, where smuggling has served to resist poverty: a metaphor for the multiple and imprecise borders that surround existence and literature. Nabeiro's life, from his humble origins to the creation of the Delta coffee empire, is a path that runs parallel to Portuguese history and geography, touched by figures such as Marcelo Caetano, Mário Soares or Felipe González, and by the Revolution of the Carnations or the Spanish Civil War. The narrative talent and lyrical prose of José Luis Peixoto elevate this singular biography to the status of a novel, in a beautiful history of Portugal told through a family story. Sunday Meal is a deep reflection on old age and the end of a life, but also on the deep love of a family gathered around the patriarch to celebrate his anniversary. Sunday lunch contains a promise: the reunion with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Without them, Mr. Rui's vital journey would not make sense, and he knows better than anyone that, although the end of the road is near, it has been a beautiful journey.