Inspired by Gilles Deleuze's philosophy of the Event, in this article I use the concept of history-event as a guiding framework to analyze two Portuguese historical films that examine the country's imperial history and post-revolutionary political contexts: O Bobo/The Jester, by José Álvaro Morais (1987), and Non, ou a Vã Glória de Mandar/Non, Or the Vain Glory of Command, by Manoel de Oliveira (1990). In addition to presenting an in-depth analysis of The Jester, a much-overlooked piece in film scholarship, the article also offers an alternative critique of Non by challenging certain assumptions that have been prevalent in recent readings. By integrating philosophical and historical inquiry with close textual analysis, the article explores the history-event to examine how these films generate historical and political significance through their serial approach to history and cinematic montage, as well as their use of metafictional dramaturgical solutions that connect to philosophical and anthropological readings of historical intelligibility. Through this examination, the article seeks to demonstrate how both films challenge the boundaries of conventional historiography, while offering experimental and thought-provoking perspectives on Portugal's intricate and problematic history.
Miguel Mesquita Duarte (Mon,) studied this question.