Gosto de ti como és | I love you for what you are
Sílvia Firmino | 2005
DVcam | 52'

Every year during the annual street festival of Lisbon in June, several neighbourhoods organise the preparation of their community march and arraial (fair). The arraiais exist within these neighbourhoods, in small squares or cul-de-sacs decorated with coloured paper shapes, lamps and ondulating rope which surround dancing areas and small improvised open-air restaurants. Every neighbourhood march begins preparation months before their presentation during the Big Final Parade on the night of the 12th June which represents the high point of this communities’ projects.
This film seeks to show the vitality of a tradition and acess its importance for the characters of the film. It will deal with issues such as honour, pride and reputation. On a larger scale, it will question the role this tradition plays on the identity of the neighbourhood, and Lisbon itself, a city which, like any other European Capital, is becoming more and more normalized.
From April until the end of June we will accompany this family and their preparation for the festival. The film will follow chronologically the preparations of the march anrd the arraial through the point of view of the various members of the family. The climax of the film will be given by the nignt of the march and the moment when together with the family we will find out who are the winners of this years march.