film

Amílcar, by the documentary specialist Miguel Eek, is a compelling portrait of Amílcar Cabral, the agronomist, poet and revolutionary who led the struggle for independence from Portuguese colonial rule in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. Born in the former country to parents from the latter country, Cabral became one of Africa’s most important anti-colonial figures, combining armed resistance with an international campaign for support and a vision of unity between the two countries. He was assassinated in 1973, shortly before Guinea-Bissau achieved independence.

Eek constructs an impressionistic portrait (rather than a down-the-line biopic) from archival footage, police reports, photographs and Cabral’s own poetry, letters and political writings. Shot partly on 16mm, the film takes the form of an imagined diary, mixing intimate material with the wider drama of revolution, betrayal and political idealism. The result is half historical investigation, half meditation on Cabral’s ideas, and all worth watching.