The Beach of Nazaré (1957)

• 54%
• 1957
• Documentary
• Van Campen Heilner

Nazaré is a tiny fishing village on the west coast of Portugal. People there wear colorful plaids and tartans, reflecting the Scottish settlement of the area during the Napoleonic Wars. Natives are thought to be descendants of the ancient Phoenicians, as witnessed by the design of local fishing boats. Many of the fishing techniques are the same as generations past, such as carrying possessions under black hats instead of in pockets which do not exist and hauling the boats out of the water using oxen instead of building piers, but some modernization is infiltrating the process. Fishing can be a dangerous activity at the mercy of the sea. The cabanas of the seaside resorts are in marked contrast to the fishing activity. Group dancing on the beach provides a respite to the daily grind of the fishing work.