Top Portuguese artist: Iranian filmmakers well-known in Portugal

The manager of Doclisboa Lisbon International Documentary Film Festival, Miguel Ribeiro, said Portuguese audiences are in general very curious about cinema from all around the world. Iranian filmmakers whose films have been screened in Portugal are quite well known by the audience.

In an interview with the media headquarter of the 15th edition of the Cinéma Vérité Festival, he said:" There is of course still a long way to go especially in what concerns newcomers and we at Doclisboa are very attentive to what is being done in Iran. Participating at a festival like Cinéma Vérité is also a way to strengthen these bridges, and we would only wish that we could be there in person to meet all of those attending the festival.

He added that at Doclisboa we don't have one focus within the programme, we like to think of the programme as many entrance doors. I can highlight some of them. In the 19th edition of Doclisboa, which ran from 21st to 31st October 2021, we presented complete retrospectives of two filmmakers we profoundly admire: Cecilia Mangini and Ulrike Ottinger. Both of them made films through the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of this one, but in such different ways that having the two retrospectives together allowed to shine a light on the diversity that cinema can bring us into a complex understanding of our times.

He added that the Cecilia Mangini filmed Italy, the struggles of the Italian people, filmed love and filmed fighting and emancipation. Ulrike Ottinger filmed fairy tales in a way that they became fictional spaces for the experimentation of ideas that we can only imagine, and she traveled so much with her camera, especially through Asia where her free spirit loved and depicted the arts of these places into her films.

"In Nebulae, the industry space of Doclisboa, Croatia was invited country. This allowed a lot of filmmakers and producers from the country to bring their ideas for developing films to Lisbon, while we were screening films from the School of Dramatic Arts from Zagreb since the 70s until today."

He added that "Nebulae is a space designed for the industry attending the festival, a place where we foster the development of films and ideas in an informal but highly participative atmosphere. Here you can find pitching sessions, encounters with people from all fields of action, debates, and talks on subjects that matter to all of us - from creation to funding, from curation to archive. All the activities at Nebulae are open to the audience as we also want to maintain an open debate and involve all of those interested in discussing what we are doing and how we are doing it."

Commenting on the similarities between the two countries' cinema industries, he added that Portuguese and Iranian filmographies are quite different, but there's something that we can see in both: cinema as a way to get closer. In both countries there are difficulties in production, there is a growing cinema community and a lot of passion put into every film that is made. I also take this chance to invite all to think of further similarities while watching the 3 Portuguese films we are showing in the Doclisboa programme at Cinéma Vérité.

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Miguel Ribeiro studied Science of Communication, at the New University of Lisbon. Joined Doclisboa - International Film Festival in 2012 as programmer and Programme Coordinator.

Since 2020, he forms part of the direction of Doclisboa. He is also currently a member of the executive board of Apordoc - The Portuguese Documentary Association.

Through several collaborations, Miguel has developed a series of curatorial programmes between film, performance, and visual arts and is a regular presence in panels, talks, and festival juries.

The top documents of the Portugal Doclisboa International Film Festival will be displayed in the 15th edition of the Cinéma Vérité Festival in Iran.

"Breeding Ground" directed by Pedro Filipe Marques, "Earth" directed by Hiroatsu Suzuki, Rossana Torres, "Perpetual Person", directed by Javier Bellido Valdivia, "Rio Torto", directed by Mário Veloso is among the top films of  Doclisboa International Film Festival which will be displayed in the festival.

Presided by Hamidi-Moqadam, the 15th edition of “Cinema Verite” is slated to be held in Tehran from Dec 6-16, 2021.

The Documentary and Experimental Film Centre (DEFC) organizes the annual Iran International Documentary Film Festival.

The festival has several sections including National, International, Martyr Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani Award, Martyr Avini Prize, Special Screenings, Portrait, Mirror of a festival, Focus on a country, Panorama, Workshop, and Doc Market.

Due to the spread of Coronavirus, this edition of the festival will be held in online and remote format.