Permanent Seminar on Communication and Diversity: commentary on award-winning films on Romanian immigrants

The Permanent Seminar on Communication and Diversity dedicated to the exhibition and commentary of the films “Jumate” and “Em janeiro, talvez” was held on October 17th.

After viewing the films, Isabel Macedo, a researcher at CECS, made her commentary as a specialist in Migrations and Film Studies. For Isabel Macedo, there are several points of union between the two films, beginning with the director himself, Diogo Costa Amarante, who was also present at the seminar.

The CECS’ researcher warned about issues such as the difficulties faced by migrants, especially those from Romania, as was the case with the protagonists of the two films; emphasized the family relations that united mother and daughter, in “Jumate”, and separated husband and wife, in the film “Em janeiro, talvez”; underlined the difficulty of migrants in finding a job in a foreign country; highlighted the “hypocritical” glances of one who observes the dwarf woman who asks in the street, questioning the importance that dwarfism had in the life story of Camelia, the protagonist of “Jumate”. Regarding the films, Isabel Macedo also mentioned the role of the media in promoting a stereotyped and negative view of migrants.

Diogo Costa Amarante, the director of both films, agreed with the researcher’s notes, highlighting aspects that touched him during the period in which he accompanied his protagonists. One of them was the relationship with the family. Camelia, who fled Romania and her husband with her daughter Andrea, seemed, according to the filmmaker, to be satisfied with his emancipation over the spouse who oppressed her. Diogo Costa Amarante also pointed out that, despite Camélia’s dependence on her daughter, their relationship was perfectly functional. As for Daniel, the protagonist of “Em janeiro, talvez”, Diogo Costa Amarante said he felt a certain identification with the character. For the director, Daniel was disillusioned with his professional condition, not wanting to admit to his wife what happened to him. At the same time, the removal of the family constituted a certain freedom.

The organization of this Seminar had the partnership of the Close-up – Observatory of Cinema of Vila Nova de Famalicão.

[Text published 18-10-2018]