Por Este Rio Acima / Upstream

In 2021, I decided to begin a journey by foot, from the mouth of the river to its’ source, high up the mountains of Serra do Açor. Propelled by the loss of three family members, who either were from the region or loved it with all their hearts, I set myself on a route to explore photographically issues of belonging, identity, and loss.

”In his latest series Por este rio acima (Upstream), Gonçalo Fonseca takes us on a special journey: he explores the course of the Ceira, a small and pure mountain river in Portugal’s heartland. Over a length of only about 100 kilometers, it flows furtively through almost forgotten villages and small cities, places that have struggled to maintain their vibrancy in the 21st century. For the Portuguese photographer, however, it was also a very personal project, as his family roots lie in the area he visited. Gonçalo's photographs walk the line between fiction and reality, memory and dream. He documented his family's roots and photographed the lives of different people who still resist the abandonment of this area.” writes Ulrich Rüter

Shot with Leica M11

“My maternal grandfather grew up poor, in a small village in this region that was known for its quality wooden utensils. As a child, I loved listening to his stories of those times, especially when he told of his adventures, walking hundreds of kilometers in the winter to sell his wares at markets, sleeping in animal pens and meeting different people. I guess I wanted to experience that in a small way, walking about 100 kilometers in really difficult terrain.
I had to deal with storms and pouring rain. It was physically and emotionally demanding, but very peaceful as well. In this area that is so familiar to me, yet at the same time very new, I felt extremely connected to the land and the people, and it made my work much more instinctive.”

“Reaching the source of the river was one of the highlights of the journey. Although there wasn’t much to photograph there and the weather conditions were terrible, it was a remarkable experience. I woke up before dawn, so that I could return to Malhada Chã, the last village before the source, in time to be sheltered from a storm that was looming. The previous days I had been consulting with shepherds who indicated the way there, up a steep hill and following rarely-walked paths. I walked for two and a half hours to reach the source, and once I arrived, I could barely see because of the dense fog. All I could hear were the deer’s mating calls and the small hum of gushing water.”

Below is the video done for the PR campaing for the new Leica M11.