April Captains

A young conscript returning to the Army base in Santarém, anxious about being sent to fight in the Colonial War. He is emotionally unsettled, sharing a poignant farewell with his girlfriend Rosa. His perspective grounds the political drama in ordinary human stakes as the coup unfolds around him.

Daniel’s girlfriend who travels to Antónia’s flat to babysit for Amelia, tying personal life to mounting political tension. She moves through the story with fear and resolve, her relationship with Daniel a constant under current. Her presence links intimate life to the nation’s upheaval.

A left-wing journalist/lecturer who navigates personal and political tensions, appealing to her brother Filipe Correia for relief of a student. She endures an assault by the DGS head in a toilet, illustrating the regime’s brutality. Her trajectory from activist to political figure mirrors the revolution’s human consequences.

Antónia’s estranged husband, an army captain implicated in atrocities during the Colonial War. He is involved in coup plotting, aiming to seize control of Rádio Clube Português. His arc shows how personal history and corruption intertwine with political upheaval, and his later life reveals the pensioning of violence.

Captain Salgueiro Maia, the driving force of the coup who arrests the base commander and leads troops toward Lisbon. He coordinates the bold move to overthrow the government, exemplifying decisive leadership under pressure. His role anchors the narrative’s momentum toward revolution and its uncertain aftermath.

Major Gervásio is Maia’s erudite but cautious colleague who initially refuses to join the coup. He embodies moral ambiguity within the military and provides a counterpoint to Maia’s urgency. His pragmatic hesitations underscore the divergent paths individuals may take in times of crisis.

Head of the DGS (secret police), present at a reception and an emblem of state security and repression. He assaults Antónia in a toilet, illustrating the regime’s violence. He remains a central figure whose actions symbolize the squeeze of authority under pressure.

General António de Spínola arrives as a negotiator, guiding the surrender and exile order. His involvement legitimizes the transition from authoritarian rule to a democratic process, shaping the revolution’s political closure.

Antónia’s brother and a government minister who refuses to release a student, illustrating the regime’s resistance to reform. His stance represents the entrenched political class during the upheaval.

A man previously involved in a bar fight with Manuel and his colleagues, later killed in the violence surrounding the coup. His death underscores the cost of political transition for ordinary people.

A journalist associated with Rádio Clube Português who interacts with Antónia and participates in the station’s coverage of the coup. He embodies the era’s press culture and the dissemination of information during upheaval.