The Consul of Bordeaux, Opening Film of 42nd IFFI

The Consul of Bordeaux a film from Portugal and directed by João Correa, and Francisco Manso will open the 42 International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa .This 90 minutes film tells the true story of Aristides de Sousa Mendes., June 17, 2011 marked the 71st anniversary of Consul General of Portugal in Bordeaux Aristides de Sousa Mendes' Act of Conscience when 30,000 World War II refugees, including 10,000 Jews, were saved with his visa in June 1940. Being the Portuguese General Consul stationed in Bordeaux, France, he issued 30,000 visas for safe passage to Portugal. He defied the direct orders of his government and exhibited courage, moral rectitude, unselfishness, and self-sacrifice by issuing visas to all refugees regardless of nationality, race, religion or political opinions. This narrative film expresses his heroic actions towards humanity, which will perpetuate his legacy of justice for a new generation. In 1966, Yad Vashem named him Righteous Among the Nations. He is considered to have achieved the largest single rescue operation of World War II.