This documentary explores the European periphery through its own voice: ancestral voices that preserve the culture of their territories through oral tradition.
The journey begins in the mines of Aljustrel, where Cante Alentejano stands as a guardian of local culture. It then moves to Iceland, where the tradition of Rímur emerges as a unique form of expression, reflecting the experience of an isolated people. From there, the film evokes the Sámi communities across the Lapland regions of Norway, Finland, and Sweden through their songs and stories told in Joik. It continues to the Lemko people of Ukraine and Poland, highlighting their distinctive music and cultural identity, and concludes in Corsica and Sardinia, where characteristic Mediterranean songs are often associated with ideas of independence.
By travelling around the edges of Europe, the documentary reveals its diversity through collective identity and sonic unity, while questioning concepts such as border, belonging, and cultural continuity.
Director: Rodrigo Areias
Production companies: Bando à Parte, Karel, Oktober Oy
Iceland Unit Producer: Carolina Salas Muñoz
TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/891797993