I was excited to see that one of Manoel de Oliveira’s new films is playing at TIFF and also a little sad I’ll be missing it.

The story of a man who’s obsession with a woman he sees from his window turns into a bit of a mystery in which said woman takes more than just his heart, Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl looks like classic Oliveira: a little theatrical, a little languid and very beautiful.

For those not familiar with Oliveira’s work but looking for a way in, this may be the film for you. Unlike the majority of the filmmaker’s other works, this is a short film clocking in at just over 60 minutes. If you’re even mildly curious, I recommend starting here. And if you happen to miss it at TIFF, the film has also been announced as a selection for the upcoming New York Film Festival which runs from September 25th to October 11th.

Sadly, this trailer is subtitle free but it also doesn’t feature much more than the characters seeing each other for the first time and shopping for a ring; I assume no one needs a subtitle to take in where the story is going.

Trailer is tucked under the seat!