“I really wanted to be engaged. I figured it out. I have the written vows”

A living a unique phase in his life, since he is engaged to David Ferreira da Silva, with whom he has three children in common, Inês Aires Pereira saw the film “Santo António – O Casamenteiro de Lisboa” premiere about a week ago, by Ruben AlvesWhere it brings Sofia to life.

In the plot, Inês Aires Pereira is the mother of a boy, Martin, the role of Santiago Lagerfield, and accepts to marry Saint Anthony with his son's companion and father, James, played by Nuno Nolasco.

At first it is noticed that, in fact, Sofia and James are not in one of the best stages of the relationship and only want to marry for Saint Anthony because they qualify to win a house. However, everything changes throughout the film.

And real life isn't far from fiction. Despite not identifying with his character, in real life there are also couples who try to demonstrate a different reality from the truth, as Inês Aires Pereira acknowledged in conversation with the News to Minutes, highlighting that marriage will hardly be just a sea of roses. 

“It’s a little inevitable, in the stories of marriages, a lifetime, people don’t go into crisis, don’t walk away. Life is made for the broth to spill. Then that’s what we do with it.”

In the interview with the News to Minutes – when talking about this project – Inês Aires Pereira also confessed that “I didn’t know that they even gave a house some time ago” to those who tied the knot in Santo António’s weddings.

“ I always thought I wanted to be the only bride, because I don't like being the center of attention. I wanted to be the only bride. I didn't want to marry anyone else. But then I started thinking, "Wait a minute, if you give me a house... Maybe... [laughs] But I am sincere to you, I have never followed the marriages of Saint Anthony much.”

In fact, she says, the actress was not the person who turned on television on RTP on June 12 to watch this typical Portuguese tradition.

During the conversation, Inês Aires Pereira was also questioned if he feels that this tradition – in order to survive through time – has to adapt, for example, to the digital world, as it is approached in the film, or even the church itself. In the film, the priest refuses to marry the bride and groom Fábio and Nuno (played by Pedro Nuno and Miguel Amorim, respectively) for being a homosexual couple.

“ We have to adapt in several things, but we can resist some and keep our characteristics a little as a people, like Lisbon or as Portuense, I think it would be good”, commented, not forgetting also the changes in food supply, for example, because of the arrival of tourism.

“ Sooner or later you'll start feeling it. People are gonna get sick of avocado toast. Where are our pastries, our pastries, which are so characteristic? Sooner or later, this goes around. Someone opens [an establishment and people remember] in the old days, and it gets full. Then it all comes again. Life is cycles.”

Still about the arrival of mass tourism in Portugal, which is also an issue addressed in the film, Inês Aires Pereira shared his opinion: “I like tourists a lot, I think they give us a lot of money and we need it, but when we start to see our cities being uncharacterized, it’s a mess.”

“I laughed a lot,” he added, referring to the moment he got to know the script. “ When I was reading, I knew who I was going to do [the characters], so I started associating guys and I thought, this is gonna be even funnier. It’s funny already, but this will be funnier with the people who will.”

Remembering that the film is starring Rita Blanco, which gives life to Carmo, and Joaquim Monchique, who has the role of Valentine, both employees of the Lisbon House and who are responsible for the weddings of Santo António for many years.

Inês Aires Pereira's great desire to marry. “I have had the vows written for I don’t know how long”

Bringing the film to real life, Inês Aires Pereira is also preparing to get married. In fact, she was pregnant when filming took place and, remember, “hide” the pregnancy “all the time”.

“ I remember trying on the dresses and being hysterical because I always wanted to get married. I took pictures in the evidence and sent my friends to say, send David to see how a beautiful bride looks. Now it's even more special. When the film premieres I am really engaged”, confided.

And it is precisely because of being engaged that this film becomes more special to the actress, because it is about to realize an old dream – unlike her character, who has no desire to marry.

“ I'm exactly the opposite of my character. I really wanted to be engaged, and I love weddings, and now I'm disguised, pretending I don't know yet, that I haven't treated. I've got it all figured out. I knew Thursday before I was proposed to. Everything, everything. I have the vows written for I don't know how long“, he revealed.

“ I don't understand where it comes from [this desire]. I don't know. I'm very happy. And it's good because we we're only getting married next year and i have plenty of time to prepare, to think about things“, he added.

The third pregnancy and the return to work

Inês Aires Pereira was mother for the third time on April 23, of little Jorge, who came to join the older children, Joaquim, four years old, and Alice, six, all the result of the engagement with David Ferreira da Silva.

The premiere of this film also represented his return to work. “I’m not too obsessed with work. So I really like having my time at home with family and babies. As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't work for a year. But since we have to make money and it's a lot of mouths to feed.. Come on,” he confessed.

“ I'm very lucky, very helpful, which is good. I don't come with a guilt feeling that my kids need me. It's all right. But for me, I stayed home for a little while,” he said, admitting after the return to work after being a mother for the third time is “costing the same way” when compared to the first pregnancy of little Alice.

“ The head is not yet [completely concentrated]. I'm here trying to stay focused, but it's crossed my mind that I didn't order the fruit to cook and make the pope. I used to be just a baby. And now, Alice goes to school, goes to first class... It's too overwhelming, it's too much to think about. Then I think I'm gonna fuck up at work because I'm not [focused]... But it's all done. I have an excuse”, he explained.