Torre Bela

A supporter of the revolution that ousted the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal, the German leftist Thomas Harlan was inspired by the Portuguese land reform movement to make this documentary on efforts to turn over the large estate of Torre Bela to local workers. “The resulting film remains one of the emblematic Portuguese films of the revolutionary period, and one of the purest examples of militant documentary. Granted seemingly unfettered access to the ardent struggle, Harlan’s intimately observational film captures the ideological and logistical tensions fissuring the workers’ cause while also remaining attentive to the spirit of their movement” (Haden Guest, Harvard Film Archive).