My Grandfather’s Demons ultimately finds its demons to be more troublesome than they seem, providing Rosa with steady conflict despite there being ways around it. Each solution to a problem feels earned, but less impactful than the last, despite the intent being a gradual build towards complete resolution. Unfortunately, this often leads to redundancy or simply disregarding the narrative in a case of diminishing returns.

Unable to shake António’s past actions, every beat of My Grandfather’s Demons is mired in an attempt for resolution. A stubbornness from her grandfather that overshadows her every attempt to be nice results in a film that always requires some patchwork to be done.

There’s a constant sense of melancholy that lies beneath every interaction Rosa has with others in her village. Blindsided by revelations surrounding her grandfather and his animosity towards others, Rosa’s job becomes a lot harder as she tries to rebuild relationships with the community while also re-evaluating her own relationship with her grandfather. A property that has seen better days and a village that resents her grandfather for many reasons, not least of which is the fact that he was the only one who had access to a constant supply of water. The hang-up for Rosa, and the ultimate friction in My Grandfather’s Demons, is what Rosa walks into when she returns to her village. The switch to stop-motion provides a DIY-aesthetic that not only looks better than the CG models, but also serves a thematic purpose as Rosa comes down closer to Earth and her heritage. It happens in a magical way as a representation of Rosa’s step out from the big city life to a return to roots as she revisits her small village from childhood. What’s immediately captivating about My Grandfather’s Demons is its animation style and transition from 3D computer-generated visuals to stop-motion (the film is the first stop-motion animated film from Portugal). However, when she receives a call that her grandfather, António (Celso Bugallo), has passed away, she finds herself summoned to her hometown in northern Portugal to try and salvage what’s left of his property to sell. It’s a tireless pursuit that resets at the end of every day, easily leading to burnout and fatigue. Rosa’s daily grind at work forces her to spend long nights and early mornings at her desk, aiming to achieve a “Golden Pig” that symbolizes dedication and efficiency at work. A quaint, somber movie with just enough visual flourishes to provide a standout aesthetic, Nuno Beato’s feature directorial debut finds itself wrestling with a family’s past struggles in unique and interesting ways.

My Grandfather’s Demons follows her as her one close relationship is suddenly gone and she’s forced to re-evaluate herself. The hustle and bustle of day-to-day life completely engulfing her and turning her into a drone who barely finds time for a social life outside of her job, Rosa (voiced by Victoria Guerra) is not unlike many trying to climb the corporate ladder at the expense of their mental health. Fantasia 2022: My Grandfather’s Demons Review

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