2015 will see the elimination of homelessness. At least, that’s what Europe is driving for. It may have escaped your attention, but this year is officially the EU’s Year For Combating Poverty, one of the contributing factors to human trafficking on the continent. This is why the premier of Rui Simoe’s Paths Of Pain was selected to kick off Bristol and Bath’s Unchosen Film Festival. Counting Ken Loach amongst its patrons, the campaign hosts a series of art events exploring the issue of human trafficking and its causes.
The opening evening was a humble affair, held in an intimate room. The hall outside was decked with charity stalls and littered with leaflets – not everyone wants to rule the world, but apparently we all want to change it. The casual ambience radiated by the relaxed crowd was given a touch of class with a magnificent performance from soprano Heather Keens. Effortlessly she filled the air with a rendition of ‘Mimi’ from La Bohime, a song about a poor French girl scraping a living from making paper flowers.
Following the screening (you can read our review by clicking here), Simoe and his interpreter joined us for a brief Q&A session to reflect on attitudes to homelessness, and the truth that inspired his documentary…
What inspired you to start making the film?
Ten years ago, I noticed more and more people on the street - unemployed people. More people with family problems; problems with work; drink problems that took them to the street. That’s when I started to realise what’s happening. So, I went onto the streets with NGOs to understand their work. I got a camera, a mic, and after that I tried to raise some funds. Three years ago I got some money and tried to start the project. By coincidence, I finished it in 2010, the European year for poverty.
Can you tell us what you mean by the European year of poverty - is it part of this 2015 goal? How do you think it’s going?
The poverty year really helps raise attention and raise money. The organisers bought the first DVDs of Paths Of Pain so they can distribute them all over the country, and to social centres so that they can teach people (about other) people’s reality. That helped our team’s problem (with funding). I think that without help like this, I will go back to Portugal and in three years’ time, five years’ time, and there will be more and more people on the streets.
What would you say is the reaction of the Portuguese government over time to poverty? Is it improving; is it getting worse over time, or does it depend on who is on the streets? And how is the economic situation impacting their attitude?
There has been no change, and there is no difference between left and right. They try to do what they can with their resources. People think they don’t care, but the biggest problem is us: society. We don’t look for these people; we avoid them, we try not to look at them. It isn’t until we read about it or see a really good film about it that we realise this is happening - this is a reality.
They (the homeless) are asking that we give them work or help; we cannot expect much from the government, because if they don’t have people employed or in work, then how can they help the other people who are living in the street? How can they change? We cannot gain anything from them.
Could you please tell us how you got the intimacy from the people involved?
It’s really our profession to try to take people’s emotions (and put it on film). It’s really part of our job. We always tell the truth about everything. We don’t lie or keep anything hidden, and people are always surprised. We have kept in touch with those people (in the film); they have become close to me and I am involved. I didn’t do anything to create a cold relationship (with them), and they then deliver themselves to the camera - they open themselves to us. But people have to realise that they are also intelligent, and opportunists, and they really wanted to get themselves help - they wanted to take the opportunity of the project, to get something from it. They really can achieve something from this: three of the characters have already found a home after this project.
How effective do you think film and documentary is in encouraging real change in social problems?
I believe that it helps: that’s what I do. I think that documentary can show more reality than fiction. There are more and more filmmakers, especially young ones, who are concerned with showing people the social problems and realities - and not the good ones. I think that cinema is a really good resource. RS
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