As Armas e o Povo

It’s 1 May 1974, and the Portuguese people are free to celebrate Labor Day for the first time in many years, expressing their overwhelming support for the military coup of 25 April that ended 48 years of fascist dictatorship.

On the initiative of the National Union of Cinema Professionals, twenty filmmakers take to the streets of Lisbon to capture this outpouring of joy. Among them is Brazilian director Glauber Rocha—a key figure in the Cinema Novo movement—who enthusiastically fires questions at the people he encounters. Hope surges for democracy and an end to the colonial wars in Africa. Songs ring out, there are flags and victory signs, and speeches by future president Mário Soares, Communist leader Álvaro Cunhal, and others. Interspersed among these scenes is footage of the coup itself—some of it shot by amateurs— including the liberation of tortured political prisoners.

A voiceover provides historical background and underscores the significance of this moment, which As Armas e o Povo captures with vivid immediacy. It’s the start of the Carnation Revolution—and yes, we can also see the carnations in the gun barrels.