"The Limits of Europe" is a thematic program that addresses cinéma du réel, humanistic, and political ideas, presenting films that promote a dialogue with the audience. This programme, facilitated by the presence of a familiar theme, presents works by five filmmakers, some already known to the Portuguese audience, and five films recognized by international critics. This theme will be revisited in a more comprehensive program during the next edition of Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival in November 2024.
The issue of migration, the refugee crisis, and forced displacement of populations have been gaining prominence due to wars, international political chaos, and ethnic and religious persecutions in various regions of the world. This is one of the most important and divisive contemporary issues, alongside climate crises and widespread violence.
The selected films explore real stories of resistance, addressing issues such as education, work, gender issues, ethnic and cultural diversity, integration, exclusion, violence, and racism. The films challenge conventional viewpoints about what truly threatens our evolution as a species. They examine the relationship between compassion and humanism, the importance of culture, and contrast them with the interests of economic liberalism, populism, and systemic colonialism.
These filmes offer a unique and poignant view, some with hope for a possible paradigm shift.
PROGRAM
Monday, 2024.05.13
As Melusinas à Margem do Rio by Melanie Pereira
Portugal · 82' · 2023 · DOC
The session will be presented by the director Melanie Pereira.
Melusina is a mythical figure from European folklore, a freshwater mermaid characteristic of the myths and legends of Luxembourg. The "Melusinas" in the title are the five women, born in Luxembourg from immigrant families, who star in the debut feature film by director Melanie Pereira, also born and raised in Luxembourg, daughter of Portuguese immigrants. What does it mean to be Luxembourgish when it is a country of immigrants? What does it mean to be an immigrant in one's own country? "The Melusinas on the Riverbank" seeks to answer these questions with a tribute to the chimerical nature of diasporic identities: an attempt to reconcile the fragments that make up their individuality.
Tuesday, 2024.05.14
The Old Oak by Ken Loach
United Kingdom, France · 110' · 2023 · FIC
This session will be presented by José António Pinto "Chalana".
"If you choose the right story, you achieve a deep insight into how the world works," said veteran filmmaker Ken Loach, who does not give up on the practice of politically conscious and socially interventionist cinema, focused on the weakened experience of the working class. He chose the story of T.J. Ballantyne (Dave Turner), who struggles to keep his pub, the "Old Oak," open, the last gathering place in a deprived mining community in northern England. The arrival of a group of Syrian refugees ignites racial tensions, but T.J.'s unexpected friendship with young Yara (Ebla Mari) sparks hope for a more united and radiant future.
Wednesday, 2024.05.15
The Other Side of Hope by Aki Kaurismäki
Finland, Germany · 100' · 2017 · FIC
This session will be presented by Maria João Castro.
Two stories intersect. Khaled is a Syrian refugee who has lost almost his entire family. He arrives in Helsinki and seeks asylum with little hope for his future. Wikström is a traveling salesman in his fifties who decides to leave his wife and job. He changes his life and buys a small restaurant. When the authorities decide to extradite Khaled, like many others, he decides to stay illegally in Helsinki and disappear into the city streets, where he is a victim of various acts of racism but also encounters pure kindness. Wikström discovers him and decides to hire him. Life seems to smile for a moment, but destiny quickly intervenes, potentially leading to either a respectable life or the cemetery.
Thursday, 2024.05.16
Flee by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Denmark, Norway · 89' · 2021 · ANI, DOC
This session will be presented by Dario Oliveira.
Amin was a minor when he arrived in Denmark alone from Afghanistan. Today, at 36, he is a successful academic and engaged to his long-time boyfriend. But he has been hiding a secret for over 20 years, which begins to threaten the life he has built for himself. For the first time, Amin shares his story with a close friend. A documentary presented in first-person interview style, "Flee" pushes the boundaries of the genre by portraying a refugee's experience through animation, to present a moving memoir.
Friday, 2024.05.17
Fire at Sea by Gianfranco Rosi
Italy, France · 114' · 2016 · DOC
This session will be presented by Miguel Duarte.
Samuele is 12 years old and lives on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Like many boys his age, he goes to school and spends his free time on the island playing with his slingshot. Around Samuele are the sea and men, women, and children trying to cross it from Africa in small boats without the minimum conditions. The island where Samuele lives is Lampedusa, a symbolic border of Europe, to which thousands of migrants try to reach in search of freedom and hope. The inhabitants of Lampedusa witness daily one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of our time, although these two worlds hardly ever meet.
