Portuguese documentary filmmaker Susana de Sousa Dias, the guest of honor at IDFA, spoke with festival artistic director Isabel Arrate Fernandez this week about how she interrogates the repressive methods of Portugal’s fascist regime. Through meticulous analysis of archival materials and period footage, de Sousa Dias aims to illuminate the mechanisms of control that defined the dictatorship. The interview highlights her rigorous approach to documentary cinema—using archives and moving images to uncover overlooked histories, spark critical reflection on memory, and broaden the scope of political storytelling. As a leading figure in Portuguese documentary filmmaking, she demonstrates how archival-driven work can expose state violence and preserve historical memory for contemporary audiences. IDFA’s conversation with de Sousa Dias underscores the festival’s commitment to bold, archive-centered filmmaking that challenges viewers and deepens understanding of Portugal’s past.