In January, at Batalha Centro de Cinema, Filmaporto — film commission presents two free screenings dedicated to Red Desert Films, featuring a selection of films made by the Porto production company.
Founded in 2008 by filmmaker Pedro Neves, with a particular focus on documentaries, Red Desert Films has a catalogue that includes films awarded prizes at prestigious festivals both nationally and internationally.
The screening at 7.15pm on Friday 17 January includes Cold Water, by Pedro Neves, To My Parents, by Melanie Pereira, and Set Hares Running, by Rui Pinheiro — three films that explore different facets of Portuguese life.
Cold Water dives into human disillusionment, symbolised by the act of entering cold water, as it questions the dreams still waiting to be dreamed. Next, To My Parents presents a touching tribute to the migrant experience, revisiting family memories through the medium of home video in order to explore the identity of a daughter of Portuguese immigrants in Luxembourg. Finally, the film by Rui Pinheiro documents the controversial tradition of hare coursing and captures the return of this activity after a period of years during which it was outlawed, in a reflection on culture, ethics and the law.
A week later, at 7.15pm on Friday 24 January, a second screening will feature Geni, by Luís Vieira Campos, and Dreams of a Revolution, by Pedro Neves, two works that tell stories about struggle, identity and memory. Geni, by Luís Vieira Campos, transports us to the heart of the Cedofeita neighbourhood, in Porto, via a portrait of a woman determined to realise her dream of opening a shop. Through unexpected encounters and a growing connection between the director and protagonist, the film reveals the stories of this neighbourhood and the human relationships that flourish in unlikely settings. Dreams of a Revolution, by Pedro Neves, takes us to Inhaminga, in Mozambique, where ghosts of the colonial war still inhabit the memories of an unfinished revolution.
Both screenings will be presented by the filmmakers and are free to attend with a ticket collected from the box office on the day of the screening (limited to two tickets per person).