SAVANNA AND THE MOUNTAIN

PORTUGAL, URUGUAY | 2024 | COLOR | DCP | 77’ | PORTUGUESE

Covas do Barroso is a mountainous village in Portugal where a few years ago the government agreed with the British-owned Savvanah Resources to create Europe's largest lithium mining quarry. They did so with the alibi of ecological development and new jobs. But they reckoned without the locals, whose incredible story is told in the most particular film in this year's selection. A beautiful hybrid documentary-representation of a small revolution, filmed in perfect harmony with the area's refreshing natural beauty, the rituals of the local community, and the fighting spirit of the locals. A pithy, utterly political commentary, delivered with humour through a Brechtian lens looking at the collateral damage of multinational environmentalism and press releases.

DIRECTOR: Paulo Carneiro
SCREENWRITERS: Paulo Carneiro, Alex Piperno
DoP: Duarte Domingos
MUSIC: Carlos Libo, Diego Placeres
EDITORS: Magdalena Schinca, Paulo Carneiro, Alex Piperno

PAULO CARNEIRO
Portuguese director, editor and producer, born in Lisbon, 1990. He graduated in Sound and Image from ESAD.CR and got his master from the National Film School (ESTC) and HEAD – Genève.

FILMOGRAPHY
2024 Savanna and the Mountain
2022 Périphérique Nord
2018 Bostofrio, où le ciel rejoint la terre