EUFF 2022: Silence: Voices of Lisbon

Portugal/Hungary | Celine Carlisle, Judit Kalmar | 2020 | 87 min

Silence: Voices of Lisbon is an engaging, emotionally charged documentary about memory and music set against the backdrop of the ancient but rapidly changing city of Lisbon. Following the footsteps of Céline, who has lived in Portugal for twenty years, we are introduced to Ivone Días and Marta Miranda, two women artists from different generations who fight for the survival of their art and community. Their common language is fado, a traditional style of music that often explores, with beauty and melancholy, the daily struggle of living. With the lyrics of fado songs taking us through their story as well as Lisbon’s, the film portrays the relationship between these extraordinary singers and the ever-changing world around them. A poetic journey through one of the world’s most majestic, haunting, and musically vibrant cities.

“There are many Ivones in Lisbon. And a lot of Martas too … but the rapid changes in the city leave no room for them. Kalmár and Carlisle have captured a transforming moment in Lisbon. For better or worse, things will never be the same.” André Santos, Norient Film Festival (Switzerland)