The history of cinema is full of popular films that have been loved through the generations, but there have also been many that were quickly forgotten. Some, decades after their release, may be chosen for restoration and gain a new life on the festival circuit. But they don’t always make it to the public cinema auditorium. With two screenings per month, Treasures from the Archive is a programme of (re)discovery of films recently restored by important laboratories, archives and cinema archives in the industry. Some of these works have already been recognised for their importance in the history of cinema, while others, from all over the world, for various reasons have yet to be seen by a general audience. In all of them we encounter compelling perspectives and issues that justify another look — regardless of whether they were made 20 or 80 years ago.
Between February and April, we screen a series of films that invite you to explore the deepest recesses of the human imagination. Each film reflects, in its own way, the transformational power of dreams, be it as a metaphor for fears and desires, or as a vehicle for questioning the complexities of faith, memory and cultural heritage. Through these restored works, from the visceral surrealism of Buñuel to the visual lyricism of Mamoru Oshii, this programme celebrates dreams as an essential element of cinematic narrative, and as a mirror of humanity’s aspirations and uncertainties.

Curated by Joana Canas Marques and Lídia Queirós