How did the film Torre Bela (1977) ignite controversy related to the events of the 25th of April?
In 1975, Thomas Harlan and his crew filmed the occupation of the Torre Bela estate in Ribatejo. Why did Torre Bela become such an emblematic film? Despite the documentary's observational approach, how did the crew actively engage in the events they were filming? And how does the film currently shape the collective memory of the revolutionary period?
The film "Linha Vermelha," which explores the events at Torre Bela, offers an opportunity to engage in the ongoing debate about the significance of the 25th of April, PREC, and 25th of November, the latter of which was recently declared a commemorative date by a parliamentary vote.
José Filipe Costa
José Filipe Costa has written and directed several short films and documentaries, including Prazer, Camaradas! (2019), Linha Vermelha (2011), Entre Muros (2002) and Senhorinha (1999). His films have been presented at film festivals such as Locarno Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, HotDocs, Cinéma du Réel, Viennale, PlanetaDoc, DocLisboa, IndieLisboa, among others, and have been shown on various television channels such as RTP, Futura-Brasil and ZDF-Arte and on numerous streaming platforms. He has written scripts for films by directors such as Pedro Pinho, Filipa Reis and João Miller (Légua, 2023). He is the author of the book O cinema ao poder! (2002/2014). He has lectured at several universities, including IADE, ESAD, Universidade Lusófona (Master DocNomads, Documentary Film Directing Erasmus Mundus). He was a visiting professor at the Universida do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. He holds a PhD from the Royal College of Art, London.
