The Consul of Bordeaux

The Consul of Bordeaux (O Cônsul de Bordéus), by Francisco Manso & João Corrêa (2011). With Vítor Norte, João Monteiro, Carlos Paulo (Take 2000 Produções de Filmes).  

Francisco de Almeida, a famous conductor is about to retire. In an interview to a Portuguese journalist, he is confronted with his past and with his original -and generally unknown- birth name. The journalist’s curiosity leads him to recall a series of events that occurred decades ago, in June 1940. At the age of 10, still called Aaron Apelman, he was saved from Nazi persecution by the action of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese Consul-General in Bordeaux. In those days, Sousa Mendes faces a difficult dilemma. He knows that the refugees that pile up the streets of Bordeaux may leave France with transit visas to Portugal, the only possible gateway from continental Europe to the New World. But he is hindered by Salazar’s orders, specifically drafted in an infamous set of instructions sent to Portugal’s Embassies and Consulates. Among other prohibitions, “Circular 14”, forbids issuing visas to Jews… 

The Consul of Bordeaux tells the true story (still vastly unknown in Israel) of how one man helped save the lives of more than 30,000 refugees during World War II; more than one third of them were Jews.  Disobeying Salazar’s orders, Sousa Mendes issued visas to all those that were in need of them, "regardless of religion, nationality, race, and situation", thus allowing them to cross the French-Spanish border in transit to Portugal. By acting according to his conscience and not according to the orders of his superiors he paid a heavy price: he lost his career and the ability to provide for his large family. He died in poverty in 1954.

Watch the film's trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xbEfu6b7Wo
-You know what can happen if you don't obey a direct order of Salazar don't you?
-Yes, I know. But I also know what will happen if I do obey.