Documentary on Legendary Portuguese Knife Sharpeners in the Works
March 28, 2014
“Knife sharpeners existed in great numbers, in a time when the hope for the return of a lost king wasn’t needed. Today only one exists.”
That’s the log line of The Last Knife Sharpener, a new documentary in the works about a search for the last knife sharpener in the storied southern Algarve area of Portugal. Five student filmmakers from the United Kingdom are raising production funds to travel to Portugal to shoot the film, based on a centuries-old legend.
The idea was borne in the myth of King Sebastian of Portugal and the Algarves, who disappeared after the Battle of Alcácer Quibir, known as the Battle of the Three Kings, in 1578. Ever since, a myth has persisted in the subconscious of the Portuguese people that one day, the legendary lost king will return and return Portugal to its former glory.
“It is known that when there were many knife sharpeners around, Portugal really flourished – especially Portimão,” the filmmakers said. “We want to find [the lost king] because we think he has the solution for the depressive state the city of Portimão is now in. We believe he could be the reincarnation of King Sebastian of Portugal and the Algarves.”
While the premise may seem far-fetched, the project may prove an intriguing look at a how knife makers and sharpeners contributed to a nation’s history and culture. Got a favorite knife-centric documentary or film? Post it on the Sarge Knives Facebook Fan Page.
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