Latest news and stories about cinema in Portugal for expats and residents.
A film to discover on August 13th, in a classics programme that is now arriving in cinemas.
On August 13th, included in a batch of re-releases that are also premieres: The Saga of Anatahan and The Swimming Pool are also part of the group. It is another episode of In the Dark.
An analysis of Sergei Eisenstein's 1938 film 'Alexander Nevsky', exploring the paradox of how a regime built on proletarian internationalism utilized deeply nationalist and identity-driven narratives in its cinema. The text compares Soviet propaganda films with those of contemporary fascist regimes in Italy and Germany, as well as the Portuguese Estado Novo, highlighting how historical figures were repurposed to serve political agendas.
With the premiere of the documentary 'Sophia September 1963', produced by The Stone and the Plot, we rediscover precious, sober, and subtle material that invites us to rethink the art of 'documenting'. The film follows a journey to Greece made by poet Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen in 1963, alongside Agustina Bessa-Luís and Alberto Luís. Directors Hugo Pereira and Vanessa Duarte avoid traditional voice-over narration or simple archival accumulation, instead creating a dialogue between the 1963 diary entries and the present day. By revisiting the locations Sophia visited and reflecting on her words, the film explores the intersection of reality, memory, and the cinematic utopia of creating a world that aligns with our desires.
Notes from Chet Faker, Miramar, the Portuguese Youth Orchestra, and Kimmo Pohjonen with the Espinho Classical Orchestra. Plus scenes from Blind Justice and outdoor screenings.
The Portuguese film, which will premiere in 2027, remains the swan song of an actor whom the Spanish press describes as having had a career defined by consistency, solidity, and media discretion.
The actor features in a film by a Portuguese director that is set to premiere at the end of the year
An extravagant work of American cinema premieres this week and risks not even being seen. A cult film that has not yet become a cult classic. A word from its creator: Potsy Ponciroli.
“Her Private Hell”, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, the documentaries “Nova'78” and “Sophia Setembro 1963”, and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” are Eurico de Barros's picks for this week.
In Lisbon, Porto, and other cities, a retrospective showcases the work of the Franco-Belgian director across her multiple paths.
Film about the Portuguese poet is based on her first trip to the Hellenic country in 1963, accompanied by Agustina Bessa-Luís. “Nova'78” is made from footage of a meeting in New York.
Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him — and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him, sparks a change in Peter The post Cinema: Spider-Man: Brand New Day appeared first on Portugal Resident.
An elderly woman's slide towards dementia. The subject matter would typically invite redundancy, a flirtation with emotional spa-like sentimentality, and manipulative music. But not here. Not in this case.
Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), a retired cook, prepares breakfast in her sunny and cozy kitchen — a dish she seems to have made many times before, although small and puzzling errors The post Cinema: Familiar Touch appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The August programme highlights the films “Veredas”, “Silvestre”, “À Flor do Mar”, “O Último Mergulho” and “As Bodas de Deus”. One of the sessions will be attended by the director of photography.
In its 27th edition, the Robert Bresson Prize has been awarded to Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa. The ceremony is scheduled for 5 September at the Venice Lido, during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Promoted by the Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo and the Rivista del Cinematografo, following consultation with the Dicastery for Culture and Education and the Dicastery for Communication, it is the only film award in the world granted by the Holy See. Created in 1999, the Robert Bresson Prize is awarded annually to a filmmaker 'who has witnessed, with sincerity and intensity, the difficult journey in search of the spiritual meaning of our lives.' It is also one of the official parallel awards of the Venice Film Festival. The Robert Bresson Prize was first awarded in 2000 to Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore. The list of recipients also includes names such as German director Wim Wenders (2002), Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira (2004), Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov (2007), Brazilian director Walter Salles (2009), and Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf (2015). Alongside other film festivals such as Cannes or Locarno, Pedro Costa's work has found an important showcase in Venice over the decades. It was there that his films O Sangue (Critics' Week, 1989), Ossos (official competition, 1997), and Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie? (Nuovi Orizzonti section, 2001) premiered. His most recent feature film, Vitalina Varela, received the Golden Leopard at the 2019 Locarno Film Festival — the lead actress, Vitalina Varela, was also distinguished with the Best Actress award; the film also received a special mention from the Ecumenical Jury. Robert Bresson (1901-1999) is one of the great names in the history of French cinema, with a filmography that includes classics such as A Man Escaped (1956), Pickpocket (1959), and Mouchette (1967). Touched by a radical desire for spirituality, Bresson's work evolves simultaneously as a material search for an image capable of containing the enigmas of the human dimension, always through editing committed to challenging traditional concepts of space and time. Bresson's concepts and aphorisms on the practice of cinema are condensed in a small book, Notes on the Cinematograph, published in 1975, about a year after the release of his film Lancelot of the Lake. Inspired by Tolstoy, Bresson's final feature film, L'Argent, was released in 1983.
The Vice-President of the Portuguese Film Academy, Frederico Corado, reacts to Pedro Costa's distinction in Venice with the Robert Bresson Prize, highlighting a director with a singular path.
Portuguese director Pedro Costa has been distinguished with the Italian Robert Bresson film award, granted by the Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo with the sponsorship of the Holy See, the production company Clarão Companhia revealed today.
The Robert Bresson award annually recognises a person in cinema who has given testimony, relevant for its sincerity and intensity, regarding the difficult path of searching for the spiritual meaning of our lives.
The distinction, which recognises ethical testimony and the search for spiritual meaning, is the only film award sponsored by the Holy See and will be presented on 5 September as part of the Venice International Film Festival.
Director João Nuno Pinto discusses the rarity of class struggle as a cinematic genre within the Portuguese film industry.
The Sudanese film 'Nothing Happens After Your Absence' and the Portuguese film 'Do Silêncio à Palavra' take the top prizes of a very high-quality 2026 edition.
Following the release of 'The Prodigious Transformation of the Working Class into Foreigners' (after its screening at the Italian Film Festival), it is clear that this debut helps Portuguese audiences discover the work of Samir (the stage name of Samar Jamal al Din). Born in Baghdad in 1955 to an Iraqi father and a Swiss mother, Samir's history is inseparable from his dual nationality—a story reflected in the film as a saga of the working class (welcomed and repelled) in Switzerland over decades of upheaval linked to Europe's social and political shifts. Informatively, the film serves as a re-evaluation of historical memories, challenging the 'mythological' view of Switzerland's neutral political tradition. Through personal memories, archival footage, and diverse imagery, the film explores the collapse of solidarity among Swiss workers in the 1960s, when opposition to an agreement with Italy turned 'workers' into 'foreigners'. While the film is a pedagogical look at a complex historical period, its structure struggles with an overwhelming amount of information, and the constant voice-over narration often undermines the cinematic experience, making the press kit summary more enlightening than the film's own message.
Buñuel and Almodóvar speak, in short, about the strangeness of life and how we are little more than fragile shells, carried to and fro by our desires.
The Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA) wants to review the cinema law regulations to adapt to a “transformation context” in the sector and advocates for a revision of its organic statute.
Brazil and Portugal are collaborating on a new initiative to advance the film industry.
As Turkish soap operas have conquered global markets over the last two decades, the Portuguese-Turkish co-production 'Portuguese Love', premiering this weekend in Portuguese cinemas, perfectly combines the same formula: natural beauty, tormented lives, and the tranquility of Portuguese life in a fishing village. Starring Cansu Dere and Diogo Morgado, the film explores themes of starting over and freedom, serving as a cinematic love letter to the landscapes and culture of Portugal.
Films by Nanni Moretti, Ali Asgari, and Werner Herzog are part of the Venice Film Festival competition in Italy this September. The edition also features the Portuguese co-production 'A Noiva Difícil' by Bengali director Rubaiyat Hossain. Artistic director Alberto Barbera unveiled the full programme for the 83rd edition, highlighting cinema as an extraordinary tool for understanding the world. The festival runs from 2 to 12 September, with George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn receiving lifetime achievement Golden Lions and Maggie Gyllenhaal presiding over the jury.
Decisions by the oversight authority will be made in light of a new ordinance that came into effect in June.
