The Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate for the Communities and in partnership with the Terceira Island Film Club, promotes “Cinema without Borders” – Regional Exhibition on Migrations on all the islands of the archipelago on December 16, 17 and 18. The initiative is part of the celebrations of International Migrants Day, which is celebrated on December 18.

This truly regional event aims to raise public awareness, through cinema, about the phenomenon of migrations. For three days, five films will be shown in 18 sessions with free admission at different venues throughout the nine islands of the Azores.

The film screenings bring together selected films by American and European directors and include “Sin Nombre” by Cary Joji Fukunaga, focusing on emigration from Central America to the USA; “Samba” by Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano, portraying the life of an illegal emigrant of African origin in Paris, and “The Immigrant” by James Gray. The latter is based on the story of a Central European emigrant in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century, who ends up being exploited by various individuals who preyed on the vulnerability of emigrants.

The programme also includes “Ellis” by JR, a short film narrated by Robert De Niro about Ellis Island as the gateway of European emigration to the USA, and “The Big Sick” by Michael Showalter, based on the romantic story between a Pakistani and an American woman and their attempt to overcome the clash of cultures.

The opening of the exhibition is scheduled for next Friday, December 16, with the screening of the film “Samba” at 9 pm on the island of Terceira (Recreio dos Artistas Philharmonic Society), on the island of Faial (Auditorium of the João José da Graça Public Library and Regional Archive) and on the island of São Jorge (Francisco Lacerda Museum).

The films “Ellis” and “The Immigrant” will also be screened on this day on the island of São Miguel (7:30 pm. – Santa Clara Civic and Cultural Centre) and on the island of Pico (9 pm – Whaling Museum Auditorium). The island of Corvo closes the first day of the event with the screening of the film “The Emigrant” at the Multipurpose Hall at 9 pm.

On the following day, December 17, the films “Ellis” and “Sin Nombre” will be shown on the island of Faial (4:30 pm – Auditorium of the João José da Graça Public Library and Regional Archive) and on the island of São Jorge (9 pm – Francisco Lacerda Museum).

Also on Saturday, “The Immigrant” will be screened on the island of Santa Maria (5 pm – Aeroport Cinema) and Terceira (9 pm – Recreio dos Artistas Philharmonic Society). In turn, the films “Ellis” and “Improvised Love” will be shown on the island of São Miguel (6:30 pm – Teatro Ribeiragrandense) and on the islands of Pico (9 pm – Auditorium of São Roque do Pico Basic Education and Secondary School ) and Corvo (9 pm – Corvo Multipurpose Hall).

As part of the International Migrants Day programme, a musical event with free admission will be held, in partnership with Oficina d’Angra, at Casa do Sal in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira Island, on December 16 at 10:30 pm. It will feature musicians from several countries (Ukraine, North America, Cape Verde and Brazil).

On International Migrants Day, December 18, the Regional Directorate for the Communities and the Terceira Film Club promote the Conference entitled “Cinema and Migrations,” scheduled for 4:30 pm at the Recreio dos Artistas Philharmonic Society in Angra do Heroísmo.

The session is open to the public in general. It will be attended by the Regional Director for the Communities, José Andrade, and the presidents of the Board and the General Assembly of the Terceira Film Club, Jorge Augusto Paulus Bruno and Hugo Tiago, respectively.

The programme of this session culminates with the screening of the short film “Ellis” and the film “The Big Sick” at 6 pm, also at the Recreio dos Artistas Philharmonic Society.

On this third and last day of the event, the screenings will take place on other islands with the following schedule: “Ellis” and “The Big Sick” on the island of Graciosa (2 pm – Santa Cruz da Graciosa Municipal Auditorium); “Ellis” and “The Immigrant” on the island of Flores (8:30 pm – Santa Cruz das Flores Cultural Centre); “Ellis” and “Samba” on the island of Pico (9 pm – Madalena Municipal Auditorium), and “Ellis” and “Sin Nombre” on the island of Santa Maria (9 pm – Airport Cinema).

The International Migrants Day was proclaimed in 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly. It is observed annually on December 18 with the aim of raising awareness among the international community for the defence of migrants’ rights around the world.