Nestled towards the south of Portugal is the Alentejo region – it covers approximately a third of the country (making it by far the largest region), and is known for many different elements that draw tourists in year after year, ranging from the layered history to the sprawling natural landscapes in which the stories of centuries of people are deeply implanted in every stone and patch of grass that defines the area. It’s a mysterious place, enshrouded in a quiet mystery that has lingered over the region for as long as it has been inhabited, becoming both welcoming and puzzling to outsiders that step into a place unlike any other we are likely to find in Europe. This is the premise behind As Estações, the most recent directorial outing by French-Portuguese filmmaker Maureen Fazendeiro, who ventures into the Alentejo region and spends a full year capturing the landscapes and their inhabitants, using the presence of two unseen German tourists as the entry point into exploring, as the title suggests, as quatros estações (“the four seasons”), which gives the film structure and meaning. A singular work in contemporary Portuguese cinema, the film is not a conventional narrative work, but rather an experimental documentary that blends ethnographic study with a poetic exploration of one of the country’s most striking and unforgettable regions. Popularly described as less of a narrative feature and more a work that exists at the intersection between artistic expression and archaeology, it is engaged in the process of excavating the past, looking at both material and metaphorical histories embedded in these gorgeous landscapes, which are largely rural and sparsely populated, but where the culture remains rich and evocative, brimming with historical significance, centuries of social struggle, revolutions and migrations being embedded deep within its soil. We see the director weaving together real accounts from residents (past and present), archaeological details, amateur footage and fictionalised recreations built from the poetry, stories and songs that sprang over the years. This creates a mosaic of unique voices, each one valuable in how it contributes to the blurring together of time and place.

As Estações is very much an experimental work, it makes its intentions to approach the subject matter from the perspective of a hybrid film, which gives it many fascinating layers. The narrative is non-linear and is essentially constructed from fragments, which allows it to deliberately resist any kind of conventional storytelling and forces the director to find new ways to explore particular aspects that only become richer through her more engaging style. Constructed as a series of sequences, each one functioning as a moment in one of the four seasons that make up the film, we find the director implementing a series of layers, each one delicately pieced together to form an active excavation of memory and history, which work together in tandem, allowing the audience to experience time and space (and the associated social changes that sit at the heart of the story) in a more fluid and immersive way, proving that Fazendeiro has a fascinating grasp of the craft. The director employs a mixed media approach, blurring together different fragments to create a compelling tapestry, pieced together from a range of sources. The archival footage provides the facts, while the sequences shot by the director gives the film a sense of immediacy and intimacy, grounding the poetic and historical elements in what we can only perceive as a lived reality, giving As Estações a personal quality that is more appropriately described as the diary of a community as they engage in the act of documenting its own history. These elements intermingle with the scientific elements, which may seem didactic and overly academic from a distance, but which evoke certain archaeological methods, lending the film a sense of rigour and nuance, particularly in how it so deftly bridges the gap between art and science. Visually, As Estações is quite an achievement – the range of images we see serve as strong metaphors for the ongoing practice of unearthing the secrets of the past, showing the labour that comes through even the simple act of observing, which leave quiet, invisible traces that are not just decorative, but carry the cultural memory in many ways, transmitting values and beliefs with such extraordinary resonance.

If there is a thesis statement behind As Estações, it would likely be the idea that landscapes are living archives. The plains of the Alentejo region are not just an idyllic backdrop for the film, but rather repositories of human memories, with the film intent on showing how land can bear traces of historical events, some larger than others, and showing how a country can usually only be defined through looking at the people who occupy these spaces at different points. The human condition is the focus throughout the film – rural workers deliver staggering testimonies that highlight their connection to the land (both in terms of hardships and joys), their stories communicating the immense endurance and knowledge passed down between the generations, as well as hinting at the emotional weight that comes with belonging to a region that is as historically robust as it is socially significant.  This creates a very particular mythos that drives the film, which is supported by the frequent sojourns into the artistic representations of life throughout Alentejo – stories are told, poems recited and songs performed, each one revealing the cultural identity of a community that exists between the past and present, co-habiting with the historical evets that provide texture and hint at the collective memories that are firmly rooted in the soil that stretches across these intimidatingly beautiful pastoral plains. There are a few moments where the director attempts to show the tug-of-war between the factual history and the popular folklore, but she ultimately can’t even create such a binary approach, since we come to realise that these elements not only can co-exist, but are mutually beneficial to one another, particularly in how the film depicts the act of not only remembering the past, but actively interpreting it in unique and memorable ways, indicating that myth and memory are two sides of the same conceptual coin.

As both the form of the film and its underlying themes would suggest, As Estações is an immersive experience, and one that revels in its ability to transport the viewer into the past. This is not only done through the striking images, but also through the way the director pieces them together. The pacing works in conjunction with the aesthetic to create a meditative rhythm, which encourages the viewer to slow down and observe, paying attention to the smaller details rather than simply watching the film without any awareness of the deeper meaning lurking in every frame. This mirrors the experience of archaeological excavation, where meaning emerges gradually through the act of engaging with what we are presented with at the beginning. The film is built to facilitate a strong emotional response – some moments evoke a sense of nostalgia, others are vaguely melancholic, and more than a few have a sense of mysticism that pervades the film, capturing some rare sensations that reflect the fading memories felt by these characters. This all speaks to the theme of resilience and cultural identity, which is emphasised through the dignity and strength that come with exploring the lives of the people portrayed throughout the film. We are challenged to consider the relationship between history, memory and physical landscapes, particularly as we see the growing impact of social and political forces that have shaped the history of this region. It’s surprisingly lightweight for the most part, the more didactic elements being kept to a minimum and only emerging when specific connections are required. The alternation between personal testimonies, fragments of history and abstract poetic sequences creates a distinct narrative melody, which only further supports the seasonal cycles around which As Estações is constructed, exploring human experience over time and encouraging active interpretation and emotional attunement, making the viewing experience more participatory than it is passive.

Nearly a century ago, Luis Buñuel made Land Without Bread, an ethnographic film that documented the residents of the Spanish region of Las Hurdes, following its people as they went about their lives, while also telling the history of the region and its cultural importance, refusing to romanticise rural life but rather presenting it as a lived experience, full of complexity and resilience, while also being unflinching in the reality that it presents so bold. Whether or not Fazendeiro was at all inspired by this film, or simply drawing from a long culture of works that take this approach is not clear, but As Estações does indeed feel like something of a spiritual successor, a well-crafted documentary that examines a place, rather than asserting its own meaning onto something that functions better as an observational work rather than a discursive one. Rather than telling a linear story, this film sets out to evoke a sense of place through exploring the history of Alentejo, focusing on the cultural nuances and how the human experience is layered within the land. The viewer is invited to witness the cycles of life through firsthand testimonies and archival footage, which are pieced together to form a poignant and poetic ethnographic composition. Beneath the surface, we find Fazendeiro engaging in conversations around themes such as permanence, the inevitability of transformation, the fear and resistance of progress and the interplay between personal experiences and collective history. We are positioned as active participants in the exploration of the region, which sets the tone for a reflective and immersive viewing experience. While As Estações is deeply rooted within the culture of Alentejo, its exploration of memory, the human condition and the relationship between people and the land that has been their home for generations, will resonate deeply and offer invaluable insights into broader questions relating to identity and our ongoing search for a sense of belonging. Despite its non-linear narrative and contemplative approach, the film is worth every minute of our time, emphasising the art of deliberate excavation for the sake of not only satisfying our curiosity but prioritising the beautiful act of gradual discovery.