Vougas of the Ria de Aveiro

“In a meeting between history and the present, this docufiction takes us on a unique journey through the Ria de Aveiro, through the curious eyes of a child who discovers, for the first time, the Vouga Class boats. Guided by an adult, a symbol of the generations that preserve this centuries-old tradition, the child enters a world of memories, knowledge and traditions that resist the test of time. Between workshops and shipyards, conversations with master builders and walks along the waters of the estuary, the story unfolds like a bridge between generations. This docufiction interweaves reality and fiction, testimonies and dramatization, showing how cultural heritage is transmitted, not only through words, but through lived experiences. More than telling the story of the Vougas, this film celebrates those who keep them alive, and those who will one day carry them forward.”

Bullfight

The film evokes all the aspects of bullfighting - its history, the bulls, the toreros, the arena, the audience - and involves numerous matadors from the era.

Bull Jumping

Little known on this side of the pond, “course landaise” consists of confronting a bull and dodging his powerful charge by way of acrobatic somersault. French athlete Emmanuel Lataste is the first to try to garner attention in North America for this extreme sport.

In the Interstices of Reality or The Cinema of António de Macedo

He was the most prolific within the New Portuguese Cinema generation. He would try western spaghetti, esoteric allegory, supernatural, and science-fiction. Without state subsidies, he would quit filmmaking in the 1990s. Who remembers António de Macedo?

Cordobés 65

A brief portrait of famous and brave bullfighter Manuel Benítez el Corbobés; an account on still photos of his triumphs and failures.

Três Realizadoras Portuguesas

The Doors of Perception

Francisco Esteves, an elevator technician, lives between routine and a quiet passion for art. Inspired by the music of The Doors, he reflects on the paths not taken and the dreams that still drive him, in a constant search for meaning and freedom.

Artémis et la mort

During the Feria of Nîmes, a bullfight is filmed from the perspective of the animal, relegating the matador and public to off-screen spectators. A ritual at the frontiers of mysticism, carried by the sacrificial figure of the bull, revealer of our humanity.

Portugal: Land of Discoveries

From the beautiful sandy shores of the Algarve and Cascais to the romantic, lush forests of Bucaco and Sintra, Portugal is full of treasures waiting to be discovered. Journey through one of the oldest countries in Europe and uncover the dramatic history of kings, religion and exploration. Cheer for the "cavaleiro" as he skillfully battles the mighty bull; savor the rich wines of The Douro; relish in the medieval architecture of Evora. Enjoy the charm, warmth and spirit of Portugal's people.

Caudal

de Luz

Filmed during lockdown 2020, ‘de Luz/Of Light’ explores fleeting perceptions and cyclic rituals of Portuguese coastal landscapes, specifically surrounding the Cabo Sardão Lighthouse in Beja, and constructs a complex audio-visual narrative through collaging together various natural rhythms (such as the sun and motion of the sea). This film is intended for screening with a 16:27 aspect ratio. The soundtrack was composed by sound artist Michelle Lewis-King.

Death: The Ultimate Horror

This grisly documentary presents horrifying journalistic footage of suicides, assassinations, bombings, mob hits, decapitations, and more in bloody detail. Not for the faint of heart.

Alma Anciana

Three juxtaposing stories taking place in Portugal, Austria and Cuba create an intimate and poetic portrait of the daily lives and struggles of the elderly in an unstable world, seen through the eyes of their grandchildren.

My Seagull Espanhola

After the adoption of a very unusual pet by this girls mom, she will have to come to terms with living with a seagull named Espanhola.

Fatima: Miracle of the Sun or Harbinger of Deception?

100 years ago an event happened that changed the world. Upwards of 70,000 were gathered in the little village of Fatima, Portugal. They were told, by an apparition that had appeared to three children—what many believed to be Mary of the Bible—that a miracle would occur. Something happened on October 13, 1917 and thousands of people witnessed it… It was called, The Miracle of the Sun.

Madeleine McCann: Searching for the Prime Suspect

In this powerful new documentary, criminologist Dr Graham Hill, a former senior Met detective who was in Portugal during the early stages of the investigation assisting local police, returns to Praia da Luz for the first time. Revisiting the scene of her disappearance, unpicking Brueckner’s criminal history in both Portugal and Germany and meeting those who knew him to build a detailed offender profile, Dr Hill examines the case against the man who remains the prime suspect- and who has consistently denied any involvement in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

You Alone

In their spare time, after their studies or their work, children and adolescents between the ages of eight and sixteen meet at the School of Bullfighting in Madrid to learn the Art of Cúchares: Torear. In their stomachs there is no hunger as in the past, their dreams do not lie in having a farmhouse and being famous. Their only dreams are to be in front of a bull, animal with which death goes, fact of which they are fully aware, as their teachers continually remind them. These, retired bullfighters, some by age, others by force and all with their bodies full of scars produced by the horns of a bull. The nude bullfighting scene is fascinating without being exploitive, and it serves as an analogy for the vulnerability these young bullfighters have when in the ring with the bulls.

Trash River

River Lis runs polluted through Leiria. It's been 50 years since the first pig farm was installed in the region. Since then, people have lived with the consequences of countless crimes against the environment and a shocking lack of justice. The children that remember when the water was clean, now grandparents, share their story of resistance and fight against pollution.

Las Toreras

Jackie Brutsche tries to unravel the dark secrets of her family and answer unanswered questions about her mother.

TGX

After the Carnation Revolution, Portugal became a democracy and opened itself to the world. One of its consequences was the spread of erotic and pornographic films. This documentary tells the story of how these films arrived at Theatro Gil Vicente, an emblematic cultural venue of Barcelos.