Os cantos dos Baldios

Territórios Ocupados

by José Vieira
Documentary, 76′, 4:3, Colors
Supported by ICA

Occupied Territories is the story of a plunder told by the people of the mountains of Caramulo. People speak of their life after the violent occupation and forestation of their community lands by the State in 1941. They speak of misery and emigration, of the ruptures and wounds imposed by the violent course of history, they tell of their resistance to this expropriation. They also have the memory of a time when communities were built in a collective perception of the territory that surrounded them.

Written and Directed by: José Vieira
Sound: José Vieira
Cinematography: José Vieira
Editing: José Vieira e Mário Espada
Music: Simon Averous
Sound Mix: Elvis Veiguinha
Production:  Ansgar Schaefer
Executive Producer: Elsa Sertório and Rui Ribeiro

Portrait of director José Vieira. He appears to be sitting with his arms crossed. The photo only captures him from the torso up. He is in a room with white walls and blue details. Behind him there is an out of focus table with objects and documents.

Born in Oliveira de Frades, Portugal, José Vieira emigrated to France in 1965, at the age of seven. Since 1985, stimulated by the political transformations in Portugal and by belonging to solidarity movements with immigrants, he made about thirty documentaries for France 2, France 3, Cinquième and Arte, drawing the picture of immigration in France based on his personal experience and individual stories.

The enormous difficulties experienced by Portuguese immigrants – life in slums, employers’ scams, discrimination and contempt – motivated José Vieira to reconstitute a collective memory and a common history for all those people, regardless of their origin, explaining the reasons that led them to leave their country and fight for a better life.

(extract from the catalogue LEFFEST’20)

Synopsis

Occupied Territories is the story of a plunder told by the people of the mountains of Caramulo. People speak of their life after the violent occupation and forestation of their community lands by the State in 1941. They speak of misery and emigration, of the ruptures and wounds imposed by the violent course of history, they tell of their resistance to this expropriation. They also have the memory of a time when communities were built in a collective perception of the territory that surrounded them.

Credits

Written and Directed by: José Vieira
Sound: José Vieira
Cinematography: José Vieira
Editing: José Vieira e Mário Espada
Music: Simon Averous
Sound Mix: Elvis Veiguinha
Production:  Ansgar Schaefer
Executive Producer: Elsa Sertório and Rui Ribeiro

José Vieira
Portrait of director José Vieira. He appears to be sitting with his arms crossed. The photo only captures him from the torso up. He is in a room with white walls and blue details. Behind him there is an out of focus table with objects and documents.

Born in Oliveira de Frades, Portugal, José Vieira emigrated to France in 1965, at the age of seven. Since 1985, stimulated by the political transformations in Portugal and by belonging to solidarity movements with immigrants, he made about thirty documentaries for France 2, France 3, Cinquième and Arte, drawing the picture of immigration in France based on his personal experience and individual stories.

The enormous difficulties experienced by Portuguese immigrants – life in slums, employers’ scams, discrimination and contempt – motivated José Vieira to reconstitute a collective memory and a common history for all those people, regardless of their origin, explaining the reasons that led them to leave their country and fight for a better life.

(extract from the catalogue LEFFEST’20)

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