The Gilded Cage

Michael: So Ana, you're from Portugal, right?

Ana: Yes.

Michael: I was wondering, I really like movies; are there any good Portuguese movies that you can recommend.

Ana: Well, actually, now that you mentioned it, there is a really nice Portuguese movie that came out recently, I think last year.

Michael: Oh really?

Ana: Yes, it's called the Gilded Cage.

Michael: The Gilded Cage?

Ana: Yes. It was actually filmed in French and Portuguese because it's about a Portuguese family living in France. So you can have it both in Portuguese and in French. It's very interesting.

Michael: Okay. And what's the story about?

Ana: Well, a lot of Portuguese people have had to move to different European countries to find jobs. So it's about one of these families. And the main couple, they moved to France to find jobs and now, I think, 14 years have passed and they have two children.

Michael: All right.

Ana: And yeah, the children were born in France, and raised French-Portuguese. And it's about their internal conflict, about their identities and whether they are French or Portuguese. So actually, the family is given the opportunity to go back to Portugal. So they need to think about the pros and cons of leaving France; all the friendships that they have created, the jobs that they have in contrast to – yes.

Michael: And this seems like an issue that many people will be able to identify with because there are many people leaving the country these days because of economic reasons, right?

Ana: Yes, I think so. I talked to some of my friends about it and my friends that are in Portugal, they think it's quite a funny movie. But my friends who've left the country, they actually cried a lot during the movie because they could identify with the feelings of loneliness and being away from your country, your culture, your family.

Michael: So you live outside of Portugal, how did you feel when you watched this movie?

Ana: Well, it's a comedy, so I laughed a lot. But there were some difficult moments actually where I felt that my personal feelings and my personal experience were being targeted or just, you know, those issues of how I feel about my country and how I feel about living outside of Portugal.

Michael: So it stirred some strong emotions for you.

Ana: Yes. It was very difficult actually. And I couldn't stop thinking about the movie in the next few days. And it also helped me think where I was in my life now and whether I would go back. So for me, it was also a turning point.

Michael: All right. That sounds like a very good movie. Would you recommend it to people who are not Portuguese as well?

Ana: I do. I think that for most people who leave their countries, these people, they shared the feeling, they always leave something behind. So I think it will be able to reach different audiences from different countries.

Michael: All right. So for anyone feeling a little homesick, it's a good movie to watch.

Ana: Yes.