We entered a darkened room, with a slatted stage that divided the space in two.

Bright lights pulsed, and a babble of voices played over a loudspeaker. It felt like a nightmarish police state.

Into this shadowy world, stepped a group of Great Yarmouth residents, many of them Portuguese migrants. They began to tell their powerful stories. Two of the women had come to this country to do factory work, they said. The conditions they described were like something out of a horror film.

Others talked about happy times, but mostly in the context of times past and loves lost. Despite the hardships, all agreed that the centre of life is love.

Director, Marco Martins is a Portuguese filmmaker, best known for his film, Alice. His sensitive rehearsals with this cast of non-professionals produced some stunning work.

Eve Stebbing

• Provisional Figures at The Drill House, Great Yarmouth was part of this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival. For your daily guide to festival events click here• For all the latest festival news and reviews click here