O FADO DA MINHA AVÓ
This documentary project
follows my grandmother on the island of São Jorge in the Azores as she transitions into a life as a widow following the death of my grandfather and 60+ years of marriage.
Through the perspective of her only grandson, the
images are meant to tell an intimate
story of love and loss and the radiating
effects they have on our direct rela-
tionship as blood relatives living with
geographical, cultural and generational
gaps.
Fado (which means fate in English) is a significant part of Portuguese music culture.
Following meloncholic themes, the singer speaks to the often harsh realities of everyday life, sometimes with a sense of resignation, sometimes with the hope of resolution.
The series first began in 2015 with an
initial follow-up in 2018. On November 1, 2021 my avó passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer, 5 days before my scheduled flight with my father to visit her one final time.
