Fogo, îl de feu

The volcano that dominates Fogo (one of the Cape Verde islands) last erupted in 1951. But more important is the year 1975, when Cape Verde shook off its colonial Portuguese yoke. Four years later, filmmaker Sarah Maldoror, deeply involved in the international decolonization movement, filmed this unreserved impression of a population that embraces life on the island, even though hard work is needed to make it flourish. Without exoticizing, and on an equal footing with the people, she shows the hard work of cultivating the barren volcanic soil, alongside children at play and the market selling food for all. Meanwhile, a narrator explains the background. All this is a prelude to the celebration of May 1, Labor Day, featuring an enthusiastic tribute to Amilcar Cabral, the hero of the independence, as well as festive horse races and equestrian games, loosely based on a Portuguese legend that has been appropriated. This too is the fire in the title of this documentary produced by the revolutionary government. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)