The Palace of Citizens

Rui Pires, PT 2024, 120 min, Portug. OmeU

The film begins with a storming of parliament. These are not threatening images, but those of citizens hungry for democracy. Rui Pires spent a year observing how members of parliament and citizens work hard behind the scenes of the Portuguese parliament to finalize laws. Democratic processes and the workings of representative democracy are laid bare. The portrait of the institution and its actors shows how the actions of the members of parliament reflect conflicts between the different ideas of society and how connections are created between people inside and outside the palace. If 'The Palace of Citizens' is a film about democracy, it is because it takes a lot of time to explore its essence in detail.