The train in Sabor halted its route there on the 1st of August in 1988. Together with Pedro Garcia, we walked and drove along the track between Pocinho and Duas Igrejas near Miranda do Douro. All at once, I felt a sting of saudade, memory, abandonment, and oblivion. That is my country. The train used to pass there. One must not forget, must not fall in slumber. The place still exists. There’s nothing much to say but I can say my heart was beating strong when I was portraying the people who told us stories about the Sabor train line - stories that made me wander in those magical places. PP

São João da Madeira is the country’s smallest municipality with slightly more than 21,000 inhabitants. Despite its size, the region succeeded in the industrial sector and was known for a long time as the capital of shoe wear production. Recently, it has come under the spotlight in the news due to the convoluted closure of Oliva’s metalwork factory. The abandoned plants lend a sad and helpless look to the dense and lively city that was once considered the best place to live in Portugal. RM

Eight hundred kilometres separate Mauritania from the Canary Islands, a swath of sea crossed every year by thousands of clandestine migrants in search of what they idealise as paradise: Europe. For them, distance equals safety. Despite the death of many, and that many others are sent back and only a few are able to stay. They come from all corners of Sub-Saharan Africa towards the Mauritanian coast, to Morocco and the Western Sahara. Their goal is to try the boarding and crossing in the unfortunate rafts. In Europe, migrants normally wait up to three years for documents of legalised status. Many women do the crossing while pregnant in the hopes of facilitating the legalisation process or to be allowed to stay. NG

With around 10 million inhabitants, Rio de Janeiro’s metropolitan area is one of the most violent urban areas in the world – an average of 18 people were shot dead per day over the last 20 years. The conjunction of indiscriminate use of police force, the ‘industry’ of drug trafficking and illegal gambling, coupled with widespread corruption amongst police ranks and politicians, are major factors in this extremely complex scenario; indeed, a hotspot in regards to public security worldwide. Around 3 million ‘cariocas’ live as if besieged in the favelas which are largely located in the northern and western parts of the city. As such, ‘marginality’ is a non-existent entity in the postcard portrays of the ‘marvellous city’ of Ipanema and the beaches of Copacabana. Out-of-sight-out-of-mind, the violent interventions of the military police against armed gangs has become a distant reality for those who have the power to change this state of affairs. JCP

This work is dedicated to my Godmother who suffered from Alzheimer, and to my Mother who, at the age of 75, had to meet in her eyes and in her heart with an illness foreign to her – devastating and merciless both for the patient and the closest family members. I reached out to Alzheimer Association in Portugal based in Lisbon and told them that I would be happy to work with a family of low-income. Fortunately, my godmother could count with social security support in the Autonomous Community in her own country. The Association introduced me to Ms. Isadora and her husband, Mr. Amílcar, both 82 years old. Amílcar showed me his home where the sitting room resembled a sanctuary, plentiful of pictures of Them and their Family, a place where very rarely a photograph is taken. Nowadays it is Mr. Amílcar who does the house chores, something quite new for him – he irons, washes, and cooks. Everything changed in the last period of his life. For forty-five minutes he told me how much he loves Isadora. Isadora was and is a laid-back person and it’s easy to be by her side, in other words, she is a Lady. ND

A cooking contest boasting varied types of food is surely a fantastic thing though also common. But when the contest is a military event in the heart of Russia, then it becomes something unique. More so extraordinary when one learns that all the vegetables, fruits, meats, marmalades, and canned food are solely produced by the Russian Army. It comes to mind all the history and social power of the Red Army. Even though not practiced for the entire population of the world’s largest country, as used to be in the Soviets’ years, the entire Russian army (still one of the largest internationally) is fully fed with its own produced food. This event took place at a private military base where the “Mercury” Special Forces’ Platoon is stationed, in the town of Zhornovka, region of Smolensk, Russia. NA

Christie’s auction of impressionistic art in London opened in February 2009, right at the peak of the global financial crisis. The jewel of the event was Monet’s “Dan la Prairie”. On the auction’s eve, Christie’s resembles a museum. The public and Christie’s high-profile personalities carefully observe all the details of each painting. The signature is confirmed and many buyers observe the paintings in broad daylight. The atmosphere is delicate, interested, and contagious. Each auction is a unique performance per se. It’s the first time I get to attend an auction of such dimension. It is absolutely fascinating. Although confined to the same space, I get to see the action unfold right in front of me in a huge stage with hundreds of actors. The venue’s light is dim and focused in the auctioneer and the art works. Beyond his voice I can only hear whispers. GRS

With the country’s inlands under ferocious fires, the year 2009 was not even that bad – we've had it much worse. But, for the local populations, fires are always dramatic. Not least because of all the Natureal devastation and economic loses but mainly because of the tough sacrifices endured by firefighters. For inland countryside people whose meagre resources and severe living are compensated precisely by forest-sourced income, the fires take on a tragic dimension. It is not only forests and woods swept away in the flames. Pastures, pine trees, firewood, and land are left unproductive until the following spring. That is what happened in Sabugal and Mangualde. Unfortunately, in the regions of Viseu and Guarda the flames have become an everyday occurrence in summer time. No doubt there is a dramatic beauty in these flames but we must not forget the destruction they leave behind and the sadness brought upon these already dry and deserted lands. NAF

The Bouça housing complex in Porto is a social housing project designed by architect Siza Vieira in the post-revolution years. Settled in Boavista, one of the top sought after districts for redevelopers, the houses enjoy a unique location in regards to accesses and quality of the architecture. Today, residents share the social areas and use their private dwelling spaces which have the same original typology. However, the lived spaces were appropriated throughout the years, hence they come to reveal the inhabitants’ origins and hopes. Fifty portraits, in an equal number of spaces, take us to the houses in this neighbourhood which was, from inception, built to make a dream come true: the dignity of living in a proper house. GP

A dream coming true was only a few hours away. His day started off quietly and at peace. His feet – Cristiano Ronaldo’s most precious gift – had all the attention before he would settle in black and white that long-yearned contract with Real Madrid. The visible complicity between those involved in this media-spotlighted transfer was running throughout in the preparations for CR’s entrance on stage. Faith, always present in his life, the final touch, the emotion of being welcomed by 90 thousand people, the same magic that raptured the legendary Eusébio and Di Stefano. The day was done in the evening after a press conference at Santiago Bernabéu. JM

This is the portrait of a politician in campaign. Someone with a reserved demeanour and who has always been weary of the methods, scale, and contents normalised in today’s political campaigns. The People – always paying the price – need to feel loved, and so the politician is compelled to bridge the distance. The streets’ stage-curtains are now bare open in the ‘arruadas’ (candidates touring the streets accompanied by music) in what has become a sort of ‘indicator’. Uneasy in her role, Manuela Ferreira Leite had to ‘act’ and make herself noted. Here, the mathematical buffer is left behind - aware of this, she sacrifices herself in the name of the party. And yet, popular attention-making feels all too violent. She cannot hide it. This is, in short, the portrait of someone obliged to duty. More than anything, it tries to show the political solitude and emptiness felt by someone who finds herself unfit for the role.  NA