With the aim of exploring, appreciating and promoting portuguese film heritage, Batalha commissions an annual programme entirely dedicated to its cinema and its history. The selection of films is broad but incisive, composed of both established and lesser known filmmakers, ever fundamental for a complete consideration of Portuguese cinema.
The first edition of Seleção Nacional will focus on political, aesthetic and social developments in Portuguese cinema. Presented in four constellations, the selection relocates film in dialogue around specific themes, opening a new way of looking at these works, the times they were made in, and their artistic impact.
December sees the end of Constellation #3: Brandos Costumes, which reflects on one of the cornerstones of Salazar’s nationalist identity: the supposed mildness and non-violence of the Portuguese. Starting in January, we present Constellation #4: Lagutrop. Portuguese cinema, with its modest productive capacity, has never had a highly visible output of science fiction and fantasy. That doesn’t mean, however, that dystopian themes have not been a common thread across various milestones in our cinematic history. In this constellation, we will present some examples of less well-known — or indeed completely ignored — films that approach these topics: where primitive computer screens intersect with the abandoned, jungle-like ruins of futuristic architecture, under the shadow of nuclear conflict, sudden sterility or the eschatological threat of the end of the world.

Curated by Daniel Ribas and Paulo Cunha

Programme developed with the support of Cinemateca Portuguesa - Museu do Cinema