Democracy is a Choir

Between the harmony of a choir and the individual voice of each woman, a diverse collective struggles to build a common identity founded on respect and democracy.

In 2022 the choir Coro das Mulheres da Fábrica was founded in Coimbra, Portugal, as a collective response for the pandemic years, following an open call, by the founder Vânia Couto, addressed to all women, regardless of musical experience. The group grows rapidly, affirming the collective singing as an inclusive practice rooted in popular music.

In 2024, the group experiences an internal crisis following the arrival of new members and the unexpected departure of its founder, initiating a process of reorganization that becomes a hard emotional negotiation to exercise democracy within a large collective

The Choir is then asked to perform at the National Parliament during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Carnations Revolution, singing about freedom and democracy at the same time they strugle to apply the same values within their group. 

The film reflects the contemporary challenges of collective life and democratic practice, following the choir as a living organism, where singing together becomes a continuous negotiation between listening, conflict, care, and community-building.