Through a distinct and curious look at the role of music in different communities, the duo Bárbara Wagner and Benjamin de Burca develops a work that questions how these communities are influenced in their daily lives by music being an important part in the definition of an identity. Previously, with “Estás Vendo Coisas”, which investigated in an imaginative way the phenomenon of tacky music in northeastern Brazil, giving protagonism to the authors of this genre, who are dedicated to building their own image; then, with Terremoto Santo”, which depicts a way of devotion not only religious but also musical, both of which featured in previous editions of Curtas Vila do Conde. Now, with “R.I.S.E.” (abbreviation for Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere), the directors’ interest shifts to Toronto, and to how a community resorts to music to imagine a different life they venture to recreate. It is music as an artistic expression but also as a way of manifesting identity, and a means of empowerment. It is also a culture of its own that is celebrated at different voices, from the traditional to the contemporary, as a legacy and a form of hope. (JA)