The documentary “Fracking the contract” reflects the participation of a farmer, a former oil executive and a doctoral student in the initiatives that the Algarve civil society organized to protest against the hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation contracts in the Algarve region, being co-produced by Loulé Film Office and Issue TV.

The documentary is directed by Sophie Rosmaniere, who has thirty films in the curriculum, is linked to the production company Issue TV - a non-profit organization that promotes media education projects on social and environmental justice issues - and accepted the challenge launched by Loulé City Council and the Loulé Film Office to portray this struggle of the Algarve civil society, Sara Pereira, who works with the production, told Lusa.

“Sophie Rosmaniere is an American from Texas, her mother has a home in the Algarve and she had made a film about uranium exploration in Texas which was screened at a social film festival in Loulé. At the time, the mayor [of Loulé, Vítor Aleixo] saw the film and suggested doing something on the topic of oil exploration in the Algarve,” said Sara Pereira.

The invitation allowed the collaboration between Issue TV and the Loulé Film Office to move Sophie Rosmaniere towards the realization of the “Fracking The Contract” and follow the film's three protagonists, including farmer Ângela Rosa, who was involved in the outreach initiatives fight against hydrocarbon exploration contracts in the Algarve and explained to Lusa how it came about and what was her participation in this project.

“The invitation was made by Sophie Rosmaniere, the director, who saw me at the marches and protest actions for this cause, was looking for people who had different involvement and views on this issue and thought I fit those requirements.” said Ângela Rosa.

Rosa said the director followed her in several of her actions and collected material from various locations to show how oil exploration could impact people's lives.

“Some of the footage doesn't even appear in the movie, because it was so much material, but we've been to many places and even come to Huelva, Spain, we talked to people who care about the environmental problems they have there, due to refineries and the impact of this industry,” she said.

Angela Rosa considered that the film and the struggle carried out by the Algarve civil society show how it would be possible to “stop, at least for now”, the exploration of hydrocarbons in the region and how “the unity” between people, “teamwork” and “citizenship” can help change things.

The screening of the documentary begins in October in the Algarve - Tavira (03), Lagos (05), Lagoa (10), Olhão (11), Aljezur (12), Vila Real de Santo António (15) and Faro (16) -, and then on to Coimbra (17 and 29) and Lisbon (26), Penafiel (31).

In November, exhibitions are scheduled for Porto (01), Vizela (04), Vila Real (05), Oliveira de Frades (06), Vouzela (07), Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo (08), Barreiro (09), Lisbon (11 and 23) and Sesimbra (22), with the last show reserved for Faro on 18 January 2020.