Torre Bela (1975)

The rise and fall of a revolutionary cooperative movement established in a large private farm in Ribatejo, Portugal, from March to December 1975 (most part of the land occupations occurred ... See full summary »

Directors:

Thomas Harlan, Jacques d'Arthuys,

Writer:

Thomas Harlan

Stars:

Thomas Harlan, Maria Vitória, José Neves Paiva

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Thomas Harlan	...	Himself (voice)
Maria Vitória	...	Herself - Paesant
José Neves Paiva	...	Himself - Peasant
Herculano Valada Martins	...	Himself - Local Worker (as Martins)
Camilo Mortágua	...	Himself - LUAR leader (as Camilo)
Cruz	...	Himself - Sub-officer Trainee
Luís Banasol	...	Himself - Army Captain
José Afonso	...	Himself - Singer
Francisco Fanhais	...	Himself - Singer
Vitorino	...	Himself - Singer
Manuel Joaquim Rosário Rosa	...	Himself - Army Major
José Ramalho	...	Himself - Paesant (as Ramalho)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wilson	...	Himself

Storyline

The rise and fall of a revolutionary cooperative movement established in a large private farm in Ribatejo, Portugal, from March to December 1975 (most part of the land occupations occurred in Alentejo, promoted by the communist party). In direct speech, sometimes to the camera, sometimes among themselves, the uneducated rural workers expose their misery, their suffering, their hopes, and ultimately their despair - when a socialist government orders the restitution of the land to their primitive owners, and these transform the land into a hunting reserve.

---

Plot Keywords:

cooperative | portugal | revolution | revolutionary army | peasant | 

---

Genres:

Documentary | Reality-TV

---

Details

Country:

France Portugal Italy Switzerland

Language:

Portuguese French

Release Date:

7 August 2007 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

A Terra: Torre Bela

Filming Locations:

Sacavém, Lisbon, Portugal

Box Office

Budget:

CHF 850,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films Albatros, Società Cinematografica Italiana di Torre Bela

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 82 min (DVD) 240 min (director's cut) 117 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (one scene) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Grândola, Vila Morena"
(uncredited)
Written by José Afonso
Sung live by José Afonso, Francisco Fanhais and Vitorino Salomé

User Reviews

Great political documentary.

One of the best political documentaries ever made. The process by which a revolutionary movement develops on a local scale, its relation to a radicalizing military, and its difficulties and peculiar development in specific cultural conditions have never been more honestly portrayed. Wathcing the soldiers tell the local peasants to do something force the soldiers to act on their behalf -- "Act now. The law will come later." --is astounding. I saw the movie when it originally came out, in a showing in Berkeley, CA with the director. I showed in once in a political film festival I organized. It is very hard to find. See it if at all possible. I've never seen a better account of a revolution in process.