Filipino director Lav Diaz, winner of the Venice Golden Lion, has revealed details of "An Entry Into the Sadness of a Portuguese Woman," the third instalment of his Hermes Trilogy, currently in post-production. The film, presented at the Venice Gap-Financing Market held from 4-6 September, shifts focus to a Lisbon-based detective while continuing themes of truth and moral conflict explored in Diaz's earlier work, underscoring his reputation as one of world cinema's most philosophically ambitious auteurs.

The Lisbon-set drama follows Lieutenant Ines Horta, aided by Sergeant Mariana Moura, as she investigates a case while awaiting information from Filipino Lieutenant Hermes Papauran, the protagonist of Diaz's previous two films "When the Waves Are Gone" (2020) and "Essential Truths of the Lake" (2023). It is produced by Jean-Christophe Simon for Films Boutique, co-produced by Epic Media and Rosa Filmes, and stars Monica Calle, Ana Vilela Da Costa and John Lloyd Cruz. Diaz also returns to Venice this week with a separate film, "Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors," a period drama exploring Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, marking ten years since his Golden Lion win for "The Woman Who Left."