The film “The Golden Cage,” a story of based on the lives of a Portuguese immigrant family in France, was nominated for the European Film Awards. The awards will be announced on December 7, in Berlin, Germany.

The film was directed by Ruben Alves, himself the son of Portuguese immigrants in France.  Hugo Gélin and Jean-André Yerlès, a former head of the French Writers’ Guild, were the screenwriters. The feature was edited by Nassim Gordji Tehrani with music by Portuguese composer Rodrigo Leão.

The film tells the story a working-class Portuguese immigrant couple in Paris with dreams to returning to Portugal. An unexpected inheritance would have made it possible for the Ribeiros to resettle in their homeland, but the family is caught into the immigrant dilemma of having to choose between their homeland and their adoptive country.

All the actors playing immigrants are Portuguese or have Portuguese roots. Well-known Portuguese actors Joaquim de Almeida (José), Rita Blanco (Maria) are in the lead roles with a cast which includes Barbara Cabrita, Maria Vieira, Jacqueline Corado, Jean-Pierre Martins, Alex Alves Pereira, Sergio Da Silva. French actors include Nicole Croisille, Roland Giraud, Chantal Lauby, and Lannick Gautry.

Established in 1988, by the European Film Academy, the European Film Awards recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in over ten categories restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors, and actors. Based on the nominations, members of the European Film Academy vote for the winners to be announced at the European Film Awards Ceremony in early December.

A scene from the French-Portuguese film “The Golden Cage”

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