Don’t be put off by the running time! Mysteries of Lisbon is a true spectacle of cinema from one of the greatest directors of the past 50 years - Raúl Ruiz (who died earlier this year).

Based on the 19th Century Portuguese novel by Camilo Castelo Branco, it is a a cross between Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas.

The audience is plunged into a veritable whirlwind of adventures and escapades, coincidences and revelations, sentiments and violent passions, vengeance and love affairs - all wrapped-up in a rhapsodic voyage from Portugal to France, Italy and as far away as Brazil.

The main character is orphan Pedro da Silva who is determined to find out who he really is and who encounters all manner of intrigue and excitement in his quest for truth.

It is films like this which makes cinema such a powerful medium.