the documentary “Leap”, directed by LuÃs Godinho, premiered online last August 9th, on the Vimeo platform. Shot in the middle of a pandemic, the film accompanies “the Vocalists”, Beja's group.
During several weeks when artistic activity was reduced to zero, no concerts, the group responded to the lack of paid work with a project to collect songs from the region's traditional songbook.
From Vidigueira to Pias, from Cuba to the village of Rosário or to Castro Verde, “Leap” follow Bernardo EmÃdio, José EmÃdio and Ruben Lameira (the Vocalists) to meet old singers, in an attempt to “feint” the crisis that hit the culture sector hard, try new fashions and, especially, do what they know best: to sing.
JN, the director, LuÃs Godinho”, states that “Leap” “is a work that documents an affirmation of resistance in the face of the pandemic and the silence. Demonstrates the tenacity of these three musicians, who refused to fold their arms at the most difficult time of their careers”.
“No concerts for several months and no job prospects, it was with a mixture of amazement and admiration that we accompanied Os Vocalistas in renouncing the silence that invaded their lives and ours to, at the stop time in which the documentary was recorded, look for new sources of inspiration, going to meet old friends with whom they share this immense adventure that is Cante Alentejano”, adds.
“It is a documentary that reflects on the financial consequences, personal and family members of the crisis caused by covid-19 and on the difficult attempt to return to normality”, defends.
Produced by ALD Produções and Setespinhas, “Leap” counts with the special participation of the Coral and Ethnographic Group “The Peasants of Pias”, by the Women's Choir Group “The Swallows of the Rosary” and the Coral Group “the winners”, Castro Verde.
For José EmÃdio, “the documentary talks about the difficulties that the pandemic brought to our work. It was a terrible time when shows were canceled every day and when we found ourselves in a very difficult situation., with all our work unchecked”.
Along 2020, when the documentary was filmed, “the Vocalists” published every day, on the Internet, a fad of Cante Alentejano. “It's a unique piece, because no one had ever made a digital songbook. how the year had 366 days we called it Leap of Fashions. Hence the name of the movie”, underlines José EmÃdio, regretting that the groups from Cante Alentejano continue to go through “many difficulties” because “there has not yet been a complete recovery” from the concerts.
program finalists “The Voice Generations”, yes RTP1, “the Vocalists” completed eight years of activity. “During this route, we introduced several instruments, like percussion, beatbox, accordion or bass and we started making vocal arrangements that were rarely used in Cante Alentejano, thus giving a new look to our music”, explains Ruben Lameira, remembering that the first cd, with “songs that we found here and there in our research and that we fell in love with”, was scheduled for this year, not having materialized “due to the pandemic”.
News: JN/ Lidador News
Photo: DR
