Grand Tour: Miguel Gomes’ Travelogue Mastery (Early Review)

In Portuguese cinema’s recent history, writer-director Miguel Gomes has been one of its most internationally acclaimed voices. His past films have premiered at the world’s major film festivals, such as Tabu at the Berlinale and Arabian Nights at the Quinzaine dés Cinéastes at the Cannes Film Festival. Gomes’s acclaim led him to become the first Portuguese director in the competition at Cannes since 2006, following writer-director Pedro Costa’s entry, Colossal Youth (Juventude em Marcha). In his latest feature, the Portuguese author presents a travelogue, a genre of art illustrating a specific place through the eyes of a traveler. Gomes produced the film in his native Portugal, while filming in Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and China. He shot the film over the course of a five-week trip before the pandemic – alongside Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, one of the best cinematographers of our era.

Grand Tour combines Gomes’ 16mm shot images with the story of a promised wedding. The black and white imagery sets the tone as the story follows the relationship between Edward (Waddington), a civil servant of the British Empire, and Molly (Alfaiate), his promised fiancée. On the day of their marriage, Edward vanishes on a journey in Asia; meanwhile, Molly follows his trail on the pilgrimage. Gomes tells his story visually with the footage he shot four years prior to the end of production. Narratively, the story is thin and unconventional, compared to the dramaturgical patterns of mainstream cinema. The director leans more toward exploring the jungles and the culture of the Asian colonies of early 1900s South Asia. In his work with Gui Liang, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, and Rui Poças, the trio of cinematographers capture a throwback look in capturing modern South Asia.

Gomes is not interested in any sort of historical accuracy or development of a narrative. Through the camera lens, he analyzes the exodus of a man who has plenty of weight on his shoulders, and a woman who wants to be loved. In this sense, the editing and flowy style of the film is reminiscent of the slow-burn style of Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Tropical Malady). His contemplative approach aims to slow down the dynamics of contemporary cinema, which usually features highly paced editing and tone. He confronts the narrative style by leaning to a more art-house style and slides into moments where the rhythm drags in some moments. Grand Tour has few to add to engage with audiences. However, the beauty of the imagery provides them with a 2-hour spectacle where its 16mm cinematography is the main component of admiration.

Through Grand Tour, Gomes looks to challenge audiences. He focuses on flowy and visual storytelling rather than conventional narrative structures to tell his love story. Waddington and Alfaiate deliver plenty of nuance and expressiveness in their performances thanks to their body language, while he does not add much dialogue to the film. Despite dragging into its lengthy segments, the visual work by Gomes and his cinematography team create a sensorial travelogue through early 1900s South Asia.

In the end, Grand Tour combines the old and the modern to explore the flee of obligation – but it allows freedom among the immense possibilities of life.

still courtesy of MUBI

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Pedro Lima

Brazilian film writer. He is also a producer and executive producer for Zariah Filmes. Member of the International Film Society Critics Association (IFSCA), International Documentary Association (IDA), and Gotham and Media Film Institute.