As society grapples with the rise of authoritarian leadership in various parts of the world, this drama based on a fascinating true story may not provide a solution to these issues, but does offer the faint comfort that all regimes come to an end.

This satirical drama is set in 1968, and tells the story of real-life leader António de Oliveira Salazar (Jorge Mota). Having ruled Portugal as its dictator from 1932, his astonishing grip on the country is released when he suffered a brain haemorrhage following a fall. He is replaced quickly as the leader of his own regime, however there is one problem – he is unaware of his retirement.

Sequestered in his state residence, housekeeper Maria (Catarina Avelar) and a trio of servants (Vera Barreto, Cleia Almeida, and Carolina Amaral) are his main companions as the occasional politician or doctor visits to assure him he is still in charge. As his mind deteriorates, those around him contemplate the fall of a titan.

Handsomely presented, José Filipe Costa contemplates not just the downfall of a leader, but of the edifice that surrounds him. In this sense, Salazar is not the lead in this piece, that label should perhaps be given to the excellent Avelar as the loyal, lifelong servant who appears to mourn him like a spouse. Many tyrants have those who viewed them with adoring eyes, but through Maria we see how the paths of leaders can also be linked to our own identities.

Maria sees his decline as a moment to contemplate her own life, descending into acrimony as she berates the house staff, particularly Barreto’s character, an intelligent young woman whose curiosity and youth is resented by her superior. At one point, Maria compares her to a hen for looking at a male co-worker, a comment later dismissed as “bitter”. In a sense, that’s what makes her journey the most fascinating in the film, as we see the stern-looking older woman resentful at how quickly her beloved boss, and by extension herself, has been replaced.

While an intriguing character study, it does feel like the film has opted for a simpler plot than it might have done. A dissection of ultra-conservative leaders, particularly those with designs on autocratic rule, may have given audiences some parallels to modern politics, and the weaknesses of those seeking absolute power. Sadly, beyond some visually attractive symbolism in the form of Salazar’s hallucinations, the statements regarding his legacy are few and far between.

A well-executed film that could have offered more, Our Father – The Last Days of a Dictator allows the viewer the intriguing position of wandering the halls of a crumbling empire. While it may not offer much political insight, it is best when portraying the end point of lives given over to supporting the powerful.

Our Father – The Last Days of a Dictator premiered at IndieLisboa.