OUR LADY OF THE CHINESE SHOP

Angola | 2022 | DCP | 99 min. | Portuguese with English subtitles
Director: Ery Claver
Cast: Cláudia Púcuta, David Caracol, Willi Ribeiro
A mass-produced Virgin Mary doll, imported by a Chinese merchant, profoundly impacts the lives of three residents of Luanda, Angola. Through the stories of a grieving mother, a man searching for his missing dog, and a barber turned cult leader, the film explores the doll’s unsettling influence on the postcolonial city. Claver’s debut is a haunting meditation on faith, commerce, and the complexities of modern Angola. Presented with the support of UW-Madison’s African Studies Program and Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program (LACIS).