Dreaming of Lions

Paolo Marinou-Blanco's 2025 film follows Gilda, who is terminally ill. Her only wish is to die without pain, and when her own attempts come to nothing she decides to look for professional help. The film treats the subject as black comedy. Gilda's attempts fail comically and the helper she finds is not the person she expected; the narrative does not open a debate on the right to die, nor does it make the matter light. Denise Fraga leads. The tone keeps shifting between comedy and drama, and the supporting characters bring other views into the narrative. It was made jointly between Portugal and Brazil. Who it's for: those who like black comedy and unusual experiments with tone. Who it's not for: viewers uncomfortable with suicide and assisted dying handled inside a joke.