The Emigrants

Programme Outline

 

00.00-01.33	Map of European states leads to focus on Portugal. Title sequence takes viewer straight to shots of R. Douro and the fishing village of ‘Afurada’. It seems untouched by the modernisation so typical of Europe. Close up of communal outdoor washing
01.33-03.09	Moving upstream to the city of Oporto – home of the Port Wine trade. Amongst the hills, vineyards dominate the terraced landscape. Locals have to choose either to work in vineyards or leave
03.09-05.50	35% of locals in north Portugal work abroad. Basically all young men have to consider leaving. The Santana family illustrates the effects of this on family and community life. ‘Family’ is a central idea to the local way of life. This is apparent at the great return of all the emigrants for a family wedding. Yet the reality is that low wages locally mean most men emigrate
05.50–07.40	Map illustrates where members of the Santana family have gone to in recent years. One 14-year-old girl is in Switzerland, working as a catering assistant. She finds it socially and emotionally very hard, but her salary is 300% higher than it would be at home. Men are usually the migrants. They are so common in many European cities that Portuguese clubs often set up in foreign countries, as meeting places where they can watch home clubs play football, and drink together. They live frugally, save money and send it home
07.40-09.00	In contrast, Manuel chose to stay home, preferring social/family life on low wages to solitude on a higher income. He was unwilling to risk sacrificing family unity. He is now a vineyard manager
09.00-11.30	Shots of the enterprise that Manuel manages, showing the pleasant situation in which he lives. Slow pace, traditional life, festivals, especially in August, when the migrants return. His brother Fernando is now a pop singer, and he is very successful amongst Portuguese communities all over Europe
11.30–12.30	Fernando also had to emigrate to find work at first. He began as a chef in Switzerland, but was always in conflict with his bosses
12.30-15.40	Fernando’s mother paints picture of life in the ‘bad old days’ of poor wages and no prospects. He can travel by choice now that he is rich. Globetrotting takes him to Portuguese enclaves all over the world, but best of all, he and his Swiss wife have that rare thing – a home in North Portugal with both parents there for their children
15.40-17.30	Miria, the younger sister, works in Switzerland and has the same intentions – to own a home in Portugal. In recent times, the family has set up a Portuguese ‘colony’ in Switzerland – a hostel run by the Santana family for emigrant Portuguese working near Lucerne
17.30-19.10	Focus on the limited but improving infrastructure in North Portugal – which illustrates why few openings for Miria are likely at the moment. The region is too underdeveloped. But new European money is improving roads and rivers and tourism is on the increase
19.10-End	Credits