New Encounters in Portuguese Cinema

New Encounters in Portuguese Cinema — organised by Batalha Centro de Cinema, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian and Clube Português de Cinematografia–Cineclube do Porto — is a forum for discussion regarding the Portuguese cinema sector that will take place at Batalha from 6–8 June.

Within this initiative, research and consultation with the sector is being coordinated by four guest sub-commissioners — Mariana Liz (Production); Paulo Cunha (Distribution and Exhibition); Carlos Natálio (Education) and José Bértolo (Criticism).

The findings of this work, which will be presented during the event in June, will result from a process involving interviews, data studies and a survey aimed at professionals from the film industry. Divided into four categories, this survey was developed by the four sub-commissioners and is available for online completion until 20 April.

A variety of associations, producers and distributors were also invited to support this work. These include bodies such as APORDOC, UNA — União Negra das Artes, APR — Associação Portuguesa Realizadores, FECA — Federação Portuguesa de Escolas de Cinema e Audiovisual, APTA — Associação Portuguesa de Técnicos de Audiovisual, MUTIM — Mulheres Trabalhadoras das Imagens em Movimento, Cineclube de Viseu, Nitrato Filmes e Cinema Trindade, Portugal Film, FILMIN, Agência da Curta Metragem, Som e a Fúria, Bando à Parte, and Ukbar Filmes.

New Encounters in Portuguese Cinema follows on from Semana dos Encontros do Novo Cinema Português (Encounters in New Portuguese Cinema Week), which took place at Batalha in 1967. Organised by Cineclube do Porto with the support of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian and Porto City Council, this event was pivotal in defining subsequent funding policies for film production in Portugal. The conference brought together contributors from all over the country: young artists just starting out; established directors; film club members; writers; journalists; and other figures from the cultural scene in Portugal.

Now in 2023, the same organisers propose a new set of encounters that will result in the publication of a document communicating the reflections and conclusions drawn throughout the process of research, preparation and execution of the initiative The event will be open to the public and free to attend.