My Homeland: the Alentejo.

This lovely film is a journey back to the place where she spent her childhood, Santa Iria near Serpa. That is where one of the best organic olive oils is produced; it goes by the name of Risca Grande. Lourdes Picareta, who has been living in Germany for many years and works for German television all over the world, fulfilled a long-cherished dream and came back to the place of her childhood, from where she embarks on her cinematographic journey. To Serpa, Vila Viçosa, Montemor-O- Novo, Portalegre and Vila Nova de Milfontes. She gets into her old white Renault 4 and goes to magic places to visit old and new friends and acquaintances, whom she portrays. One of them is Alfredo Sendim Cunhal of the Herdade do Freixo do Meio, who dictates into her microphone: “Humans must live in harmony with nature; away with monocultures and industrial production otherwise they are condemned to death, if all that matters is profit.” He shows her his 400-hectare farm, the cork and holm oak forests, the olive grove, the free-range Iberian and black pigs, the turkeys, goats and sheep. Close to 300 organic gricultural products are produced on the farm. From vegetables and fruit to juices, from wine and olive oil to dried plums and figs…

The Portuguese film-maker Lourdes Picareta left Portugal after completing her schooling, studied history and philology, among other things, in Deutschland and remained there. She has been working for the broadcasters SWR, ARD and ARTE since 1984. Her husband is Greek and they have two sons, who today live in the Alentejo again. Lourdes Picareta says to ECO123: “For me, home is the perfume of the orange blossom.” Head off on this 45-minute journey together with Lourdes Picareta and the SWR.