“Where life happens” is the theme of the Arquiteturas Film Festival’s 10th edition

The 10^th edition of Arquiteturas Film Festival, organized by the INSTITUTE and directed by architect Paulo Moreira, focuses on discussing architecture through the perspective of its users. “Where life happens” aims to expand the concept of architecture beyond its physical structure, by considering the perspective of those who occupy its spaces. Therefore, it can be said that this is a less specialized perspective of architecture. The festival’s director states that the format is more accessible to any kind of audience.

From June 27 to July 1, Porto will offer a diverse program that includes film screenings, debates, tours, and installations in several locations throughout the city. “I’ve always been curious about what’s around films, in other words, how films can spark conversations, debates, etc.”, says Paulo Moreira.

As opposed to previous editions where the programming was confined to a single venue, this year the festival was opened to the city, comprising several spots separated by short, walkable distances, where the different events will take place. We are interested in the concept of establishing a network among the different spaces. “We do like the idea of building a network between the different sites. By doing so the festival experience is the journey in the city itself.” The festival experience becomes the journey itself within the city. The festival is structured according to three pillars – the Official Programme, the Invited Institution’s Programme, and the Competition Programme.

The Invited Institution for the event is the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), which will showcase a documentary trilogy created by Giovanna Borasi, directed by Daniel Schwartz, and produced by CCA. The first two films of this trilogy, What it Takes to Make a Home (2019) and When We Live Alone (2020), will be shown during the pre-opening of the festival. The final part of the trilogy, Where We Grow Older (2023), is set to make its world premiere during the festival’s opening session. After the screening, there will be a discussion with Giovanna Borasi, Daniel Schwartz, and Paulo Moreira.

Batalha Centro de Cinema will host the world premiere of the documentary De Volta à Cidade (2023), directed by Sara Nunes. The film focuses on the rehabilitation process of Mercado do Bolhão in Porto. João Rosas’ film A Morte de Uma Cidade (2022) documents the reconstruction of a building in Bairro Alto, capturing the testimonies and aspirations of the construction workers. It aims to shed light on the urban transformation of downtown Lisbon and provide a national perspective on the issues being discussed. It serves as a complement to previous sessions and raises important questions about the city changes. “It seemed interesting to me to bring Lisbon to the festival, providing it with the national meaning inherent to it,” affirms Paulo Moreira.

All sessions and events will be scheduled in a way that they do not overlap, ensuring that attendees can fully participate in each one. There will be room for sharing experiences, testimonies, and opinions through conversations, debates, and “drinks with directors.” These evening events will take place at INSTITUTO and provide an opportunity for the public to engage with festival participants.

Guided tours of the Albergues and Mercado do Bolhão buildings, which are both rehabilitation projects designed by architect Nuno Valentim, will be available. Following the tours, films about the history of both will be screened, and a discussion will take place with director Sara Nunes, the architect, and users of both buildings. Batalha Centro de Cinema will screen films from the CCA collection. Additionally, the CCA has organized a debate titled “Film & Publishing” at Circo de Ideias. INSTITUTO features an installation that raises the question “What role can film play as a curatorial tool?”. This is activated through “lunch toasts” with guests from both the national and international scene, as well as CCA members.

Furthermore, Casa Comum will be presenting the outcome of the selection process for this edition’s Open Call. A total of 183 films were submitted, of which 19 from 16 different countries were chosen. Awards will be presented on June 30 in multiple categories including “Best Documentary”, “Best Experimental Film”, “Best Fiction”, “Social Conscience” (to acknowledge films that address issues of social and spatial justice, equality, and cultural diversity), and “Audience Award” (where the audience is invited to vote after each screening). The jury will consist of Didier Fiúza Faustino, Francisco Lobo, Sara Nunes, Cristina Monteiro, and Nuno Coelho. The winning films will be screened again at Batalha Centro de Cinema on the day following the announcement.

On the final day of the Arquiteturas Film Festival, there will be a discussion between Paulo Moreira, the current festival director, and Sofia Mourato, the festival’s founder. They will reflect on the past 10 years of the event. The day will conclude with a party at the bar of Batalha Centro de Cinema.

“Cinema is commonly perceived as an isolated art form. Our festival primarily features films, but it wants to transcend the traditional boundaries of cinema by incorporating elements such as installations, architecture, conversations, debates, walks, and more.” This edition is characterized by its plurality and diversity, which is a direct result of this statement.

Juhani Pallasmaa’s work titled “The Architecture of Image. Existential space in architecture” highlights the interdependence of cinema and architecture, emphasizing how they complement each other. It explores the architectural elements present in cinematography and the cinematic essence of architectural experiences. The sentence “there is no cinema without architectures” has been associated with the festival for several years, highlighting the importance of this event. It is highly recommended to keep track of the events that will occur in Porto from June 27 to July 1, 2023, celebrating the 10^th edition of Arquiteturas Film Festival.