“Autonomy” — The History of the Azorean Autonomy
The Azores are one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. But in practice, what does it mean to be “autonomous”? What does Azorean Autonomy translate into and how has it been built over these years? These are just some of the questions addressed in the documentary “Autonomy”, by Filipe Tavares, and serve as a guide for a better understanding of the reality of this archipelago.
On March 2, 2013, Teatro Micaelense, in Ponta Delgada, saw its room sold out with hundreds of spectators eager to watch the world premiere of the documentary “Autonomy”. It was the first feature film by young director Filipe Tavares, born in São Miguel, written in partnership with Nuno Costa Santos, also from the island, and produced by Ventoencanado Produções.
“Autonomy” is a kind of documentary and visual journey, starting from a fictional character who sets out in search of the history and collective identity of this archipelago, lost somewhere between Europe and America, with almost 600 years of history and with a very specific term, created by the writer Vitorino Nemésio, to define its existence: açorianidade.
The story follows the journey of Gonçalo Cabral, a young Azorean Theatre student in Lisbon, played by actor Frederico Amaral, who chooses “Azorean Autonomy” as the theme for his end of year work. When developing his thesis, Gonçalo is faced with several questions that will take him back to the Azores, in order to see them answered.
With his questions in his luggage, a backpack and his faithful Vespa, the character decides to take a research trip through the archipelago, leaving in search of the people, documents and institutions that defined the fundamental moments of the construction of the autonomous regime in the Azores.
It is this search for the origins of Autonomy that takes Gonçalo to the locations, archives and conversations with more than 50 protagonists and experts on the subject — from personalities linked to politics, history, culture, science, and, in general, to Azorean society — and that will help him build a geographic and sentimental itinerary of what, in the end, is the journey of a young man in search of the History of his land, the Azorean identity and also of himself.
In its 90 minutes, the film captures the Azorean “spirit of place”, combining the past with the present, tradition with modernity, in a romantic search of what the “Azorean soul” is, evoking the geographic, historical, political, cultural, scientific and anthropological nature of the Azores.
In the end, the documentary is the multiple portrait of a complex reality — the autonomy of the Azores, reflected in the Political and Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. An autonomy that is not only political and administrative but also a social and cultural one. An autonomy that finds its daily fulfillment in the phrase of Aristides Moreira da Mota: “we do not ask the Government to do it, but to let us do it”.
The character’s journey identifies the main events that led to the process started at the end of the 19th century by the 1st autonomist generation. The Decree 2, of March 1895, celebrates the beginning of the administrative autonomy of the Azores and, despite being far from the objectives of its patriarchs, it paved the way for the autonomous project throughout the 20th century, materializing with the post-April 25 democracy which established the current regional governance regime.
“A Viagem Autonómica” is a portrait of the archipelago’s history, but above all it’s a work that presents and discusses the characteristics of autonomy in contemporary Azores, every island closer to each other and the archipelago open to the outside. Insularity is now seen as a force but also as an opportunity.
Datasheet
Production: Filipe Tavares (Ventoencanado Produções) / Director: Filipe Tavares / Screenplay: Nuno Costa Santos, Filipe Tavares / Photography: Pedro Emauz / Sound: Ricardo Leal / Edition: Renata Sancho, Filipe Tavares / Research: Bárbara Almeida / Scientific review: Carlos Enes, Bárbara Almeida / Duration: 90'
Ventoencanado produções
Ventoencanado is an audiovisual production company dedicated to the production of high-definition fiction films, documentaries, publicity and institutional videos and to support audiovisual projects. Based in S. Miguel, Azores, and represented in Lisbon, the company strongly invests in the mobility of its production means, portability and equipment security in order to guarantee quick and effective access to any part of the globe.
Filipe Tavares
Filipe Tavares was born on April 28, 1981, on the island of São Miguel — Azores. Violinist and composer. In 2005, he completed the sound course in Lisbon and participated in several national and international productions such as: “Pare, escute, olhe” by Jorge Pelicano, “Enxoval — Joana Vasconselos” by Pedro Macedo, the art documentaries by Abílio Leitão and Alexandre Melo: “Geração 25 de Abril”, “Eduardo Batarda — como deve ser”, “Cabrita Reis” and “Noites Brancas — Julião Sarmento”. Since 2010, he has been Sound Director of Basil da Cunha’s films: “Nuvem”, “Os vivos também choram” and “Até ver a luz”, films that were in the “Quinzena dos Realizadores” at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He received the prize for best sound at the “41ª Muestra cinematográfica del Atlãntico”, Alcances, Cádiz, with the film“ La Mano Azul ”(Floreal Peleato).
Visit our online store at www.madeinazores.eu where the excellence of the Azorean products is just a click away.
If you know anyone who enjoys Azorean products, please share.
