Projecto Fogo

After ten years away, I return to the fire-ravaged, abandoned Portuguese inland. I seek to reclaim my connection to this place and envision a future within it.

After ten years away from the Portuguese inland, I return to the place where I was born.
I find it exactly as I had left it: a land engulfed by flames which inexorably devour the landscape and on which something new struggles to grow. I ask myself: How is fire a part of this place? Of us who were born here? And more importantly of me?
These questions lead me on a quest to find a way back to my homeland, a territory I have abandoned, yet I am due to inherit.

Nuno Escudeiro (1986, Tomar, Portugal) is an Italy-based filmmaker with an MA in Media Studies from the University of Aveiro and a specialization in Documentary Film Directing from ZeLIG – School for Documentary in Italy. His debut feature documentary, The Valley (2019), received the Emerging International Filmmaker Award at Hot Docs Toronto and was screened internationally in collaboration with the United Nations Human Rights Council, Arte, Public Sénat, International Commission of Jurists, among others.Nuno Escudeiro’s latest film, Death of a Mountain (2023), premiered at the IndieLisboa International Film Festival and was awarded the Anthropocene Muse award at Trento Film Festival and Best Portuguese Film award at the International Film Festival of Santarém. His work has been presented at BFI London Film Festival, Uppsala Short Film Festival, Les Arcs, DOK. fest München, DocPoint Helsinki, Festival d’Avignon, Tiger Dublin Fringe and other venues and festivals.

“Moon Europa”, 2016, Italy, Feature-length documentary, diploma film, premiered in IndieLisboa

“The Valley”, 2019, Italy, France, Feature-length documentary, supported by Arte and Public Sénat, Winner of International Emerging Filmmaker in Hotdocs 2019

“Death of a mountain”, 2023, Portugal, France, Medium length archive docuficiton, premiered in Indielisboa

Produced by: Raffaella Pontarelli Amarena Film; Miramonte Film

With the support of: CNC; SCAM*; IDM ; FCRC

Developed within: Itineranze Doc