From Evita to Eva Lopo, from Lídia Jorge’s novel to Margarida Cardoso’s film: the adaptation of a unadaptable character

Abstract

This article had its main argument brought up by Lídia Jorge’s speech during the lecture given on September 28, 2012 at 7:30p.m. in the auditorium of building 9 at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). The author spoke to the audience about the film adaptation for her novel The Murmuring Coast (1988 ), executed by the director, also Portuguese, Margarida Cardoso (in 2004 ). When she was asked about the female perspective on the colonial war – one in many of the thematic perspectives that can be picked from the work - Lídia confronted the two works, arguing that the book does not advocate/endorse one innocent look from the women at the war, while in the film plot, a prospect of deliverance from guilt is presented. Given this starting point, this analysis aims to examine how the director, Margarida Cardoso, interpreted and adapt the women acting, portrayed in the original work, considering the main conflict of the plot, focusing on the protagonist Eva Lopo, Evita.