From The Ground Up
From the Ground Up follows four protagonists, each deeply connected to defining environmental struggles in Portugal over the past fifty years.
In production.
Scheduled to premiere in October 2026
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How do they balance activism with their personal lives? Where do they find resilience in the face of setbacks? And do they even see themselves as activists? From the Ground Up is a film about the power we all have to change our course.
Climate action demands a new kind of civic engagement: stronger, more transparent, and more equitable. So does democracy.
Both roles, the activist and the citizen, are under increasing strain. Climate activists are often portrayed as troublemakers, while protest itself faces growing criminalisation in many parts of the world. At the same time, citizens are experiencing a crisis of representation, adrift in a landscape shaped by social media, misinformation, and political disillusionment. Apathy spreads. The feeling of powerlessness takes root. How do we resist? How do we transform?
“I’m Aida, I’m from Covas, I’m a farmer, a mother... Now, activist that’s a big word. Doesn’t really fit in a small place like Covas.”
Aida Fernandes,
Farmer, Covas do Barroso
Protest against the construction of the Ferrel Nuclear Power Plant, March 1976.
© José Nascimento
“During the Colonial War, I made a promise that if I survived, I would devote my life to serving my community. And that’s exactly what I did. It’s a promise with no end date.”
Joaquim Jorge
Retired, Ferrel
“In climate activism, I like to make scientific language easier for ordinary people to understand.
Francisco Siqueira
Graphic Designer, Vitória. Brazil
“The big causes, the great struggles, they can really swallow us up…”
Carla Cabrita,
Nature guide, Sagres
From The Ground Up is the first feature-length documentary produced by More Than Stories, in co-production with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In this project, we embark on a journey across the country, from north to south, uncovering inspiring stories that embody the resilience, passion, and determination of ordinary people and the forces that drive them.
Through a blend of archival and contemporary footage, we explore both past and present, recognising that behind every struggle, whether marked by triumph or defeat, stand individuals from diverse backgrounds, genders, ages, ethnicities, and cultures.
What unites them is an unwavering conviction and a shared commitment to fight for what they believe in.
We continue to seek new partnerships and to develop applications for both national and international funding opportunities, with the aim of securing the resources needed to support every stage of the documentary’s production — as well as its distribution and promotion.
Would you like more information about the documentary or to explore ways to support or collaborate?
Get in touch.
Credits
Directors · Inês Rueff, Vera Moutinho
Producers · Eduardo Militão, Inês Rueff
Author · Vera Moutinho
Directors · Inês Rueff, Vera Moutinho Producers · Eduardo Militão, Inês Rueff Author · Vera Moutinho
With the participation
Aida Fernandes
Joaquim Jorge
Carla Cabrita
Francisco Siqueira
Co-production
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation