Journey to the Sun reflects on children in situations of conflict and post-conflict, and the potency of their gaze in revealing the realities obfuscated by official narratives.

The film is based on the testimonies of former Austrian children, who were sent to Portugal in the post-war period, to a country spared the ravages of war. Using only archival imagery, Journey to the Sun establishes multiple resonances with current-day Europe, where the space for the Other has been drastically reduced.


FESTIVALS: 

[2021] IDFA: International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam [Netherlands]
[2022] International Film Festival of Uruguay [Uruguay]
[2022] Crossing Europe Film Festival Linz [Austria]
[2022] IndieLisboa - International Film Festival (Árvore da Vida Award) [Portugal]
[2022] DOK.fest München [Germany]
[2022] MDOC - Festival Internacional de Documentário de Melgaço [Portugal]
[2022] Lima Alterna International Film Festival [Peru]
[2022] Archivio Aperto (Special mention by the Official Jury) [Italy]
[2022] Festival de Sevilla | Festival de Cine Europeo (Best Film Award of the Las Nuevas Olas No Ficción Competition) [Spain]
[2022] European Film Forum SCANORAMA [Lithuania]
[2022] Caminhos do Cinema Português (Press Award) [Portugal]
[2022] Porto/Post/Doc: Film & Media Festival (Cinema Falado Award) [Portugal]
[2023] Tabakalera [Spain]
[2023] SACO. Semana del Audiovisual Contemporáneo de Oviedo [Spain]
[2023] UnArchive Found Footage Fest [Italy]
[2023] New Horizons Film Festival [Poland]
[2023] ImagineIndia International Film Festival [Spain]
[2023] Portuguese Cinema Days in Berlin [Germany]
[2024] Atlântida Cine - Ciclo (25 de) Abril [Portugal]
[2024] Doc Luanda [Angola]
[2024] Cinemateca - MAM Rio [Brazil]
[2024] Eurocine Festival [Equador]
[2024] Cinema Teatro Joaquim d'Almeida [Portugal]
[2024] Cineclube de Guimarães [Portugal]

Documentary
2021, Portugal, 109'

Script:
 Ansgar Schaefer, Susana de Sousa Dias
Cinematography: Mário Espada, Nikolaus de Macedo Schäfer
Sound: Dídio Pestana
Sound Mix: André Neto
Editing: Susana de Sousa Dias, Mário Espada, Nikolaus de Macedo Schäfer, Ansgar Schaefer
Colour Grading: Irma Lucia
Production: Ansgar Schaefer
Executive Production: Elsa Sertório, Rui Ribeiro
Cast: Alfred Dier, Anneliese Ziegler, Annemarie Wiesmeier, Erika Wieser, Gerhard Schiesser, Gerlinde Weingartner, Gertrud Fernandes, Hannelohre Mauracher, Heidi Haiderer, Heinzi Müller, Herta Nietruch, Hildegard Schultz, Hildergard Berghofer, Ilse Raab, Ingeborg Kremsner, Margarete Ammesberger, Marthe Sekanina, Dr. Renate Plachy, Silvia Brunner, Ursula Mertin, Waltraud Hofinger

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