Olhares do Mediterrâneo – Cinema no Feminino | 5th, 6th and 7th June, 2015
Films . Performative Arts . Open Talks . Exhibitions . Workshops . Books . Handicraft . Mediterranean Diet
The 2nd edition of the festival Olhares do Mediterrâneo – Cinema no Feminino took place in Lisbon, between the 5th and the 7th of June at Cinema São Jorge, as part of the City’s Festivities.
The Festival’s selection presented 30 films from 12 countries: Bosnia, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Malta, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Tunisia. The diversity of themes and genre presented in these films was displayed in 12 sessions, in which the Portuguese directors had a strong presence with 1/3 of the films. The films have competed for the Audience Award, the Best Feature Prize and Best Short-film Prize and the awards were delivered by the Festival’s “ambassador”, Maria João Seixas.
During these three days, one could enjoy the presence of the many directores, both Portuguese and foreigner, who accepted the challenge and were at the Festival to present their films and participate in debates and round-tables.
As usual, we had a parallel programming in Cinemateca, a few days before, while in São Jorge the full programme included an array of activities, namely a tribute to Bárbara Virgínia – the first Portuguese woman director – with an exhibition and a round table on her work and vision. There was music every day (João Lucena e Vale and Luísa Brandão, Coro Feminino de Lisboa and B’rbicacho), workshops (Spanish “false friends”, choreographic creation and Mediterranean diet), ateliers for children and families, open talks after some films, featuring themes like cinema, the Mediterranean and others. The last day of the Festival was enriched by the presence of ‘Leituria’, with books, Mediterranean treats and handicraft. To crown the cake, the more adventurous were able to take home their name written in the beautiful Arab calligraphy, courtesy of the Tunisian Embassy.
If you are curious, check here for the detailed programme.
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“When Rita Sá Marques invited me to be Ambassador of the Festival OLHARES DO MEDITERRÂNEO – Cinema no Feminino, I accepted immediately. The Festival was born in 2014 and this edition will bring us again sounds and colours of countries that rarely occupy our screen, images and sounds brought to us by adventurous women, who, by sheer stubbornness, courageously and too late, have conquered with their own look and self standing signature the cinematographic plateau. Mediterranean and Cinema suggest, immediately, a common dimension, and a precious one – the LIGHT. To the Mediterranean – nowadays so sadly in our news for infamous and inhuman reasons – we owe the millennium long illumination of its banks, inspiring the people who populate them to create the best part of what constitutes our civilization. To the Cinema – an art just a little older than a century – we owe strong and enduring emotions, so often redeemers of the filthy dirt of time, sparkling as lighthouses, generous and firm, like salvation buoys. As Ambassador of this festival, I’ve committed myself to cherish and love these OLHARES.” – Maria João Seixas
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