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Description
FILMar was launched to preserve and promote Portugal''s film heritage, which was at risk of being lost due to physical degradation and limited accessibility. Many historical films were stored in obsolete formats, restricting public access to these cultural assets. To address this, the project modernised preservation methods, digitised films, and made them available to wider audiences, ensuring their long-term survival and cultural relevance. A state-of-the-art digital laboratory was established at the National Archive of Moving Images, enabling large-scale digitisation. Additionally, the project developed strategies to promote these films through public screenings, exhibitions, and educational programmes. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it adapted by expanding its reach to more cities and leveraging digital platforms. The project exceeded expectations by digitising 267 films, totalling 10,531 minutes of footage. It organised 502 screenings in 45 cities, greatly exceeding the planned 25 screenings in 6 cities. Further outputs included five exhibitions, five books, one DVD, and 14 episodes in a Portuguese public broadcaster show related to cinema that reached 200,000+ viewers. International collaboration with the Norsk Filminstitutt facilitated knowledge exchange and co-hosted screenings, strengthening cultural ties. The project benefited the general public by increasing access to Portugal’s film heritage, while film professionals, educators, and cultural institutions gained new resources for research, education, and preservation. International audiences engaged with Portuguese cinema through festivals and collaborations, enhancing cultural diplomacy. FILMar’s sustainable approach ensures continued digitisation efforts and public engagement, with plans for ongoing cooperation with Norwegian partners. By integrating film heritage into education and public discourse, the project has revitalised Portugal’s cinematic legacy for future generations.
Summary of project results
The FILMar project, implemented by Cinemateca Portuguesa – Museu do Cinema, aimed to address a series of critical challenges regarding the preservation, digitisation, and promotion of Portugal’s film heritage. These challenges had posed risks to the accessibility of the country’s cinematic history, and the project sought to find sustainable solutions to each of these issues.
One of the primary challenges faced by the project was the fragmented and obsolete film preservation methods. Prior to FILMar, Portugal lacked a modern, systematic approach to digitising and preserving its film heritage. Many films were stored in physical formats, such as celluloid reels, that were rapidly deteriorating due to their age and/or improper storage conditions. The risk of degradation was particularly high for films that were not stored in optimal conditions. Without intervention, large swathes of Portugal’s collective memory could have been lost, leading to the irreversible erasure of valuable cultural and historical footage.
A second major issue was the limited public access to film archives. The collections held by Cinemateca Portuguesa were not easily accessible to the general public, researchers, and educators. Moreover, digital platforms to disseminate the films were underused, further restricting public engagement with Portugal’s cinematic heritage. This lack of access hindered educational initiatives, stunted academic research, and prevented the general public from connecting with Portugal’s rich film history.
Another significant barrier was the lack of institutional capacity for digitisation. Cinemateca Portuguesa did not have the technical infrastructure, including a dedicated digital laboratory, nor the expertise to efficiently digitise films at scale.
A key achievement of FILMar was the creation of an internal digital laboratory at the National Archive of Moving Images. This laboratory streamlined the process of film digitisation and preservation, enabling high-quality preservation of fragile and aging film reels. By digitising these films, the project ensured that they would remain accessible for future generations, preventing the loss of valuable historical and cultural content.
The project greatly exceeded its initial goals in terms of film digitisation. A total of 267 films were digitised, far surpassing the original target of 70. These films amounted to 10,531 minutes of footage, exceeding the planned 10,000 minutes. The digitisation focused particularly on maritime-themed films, which preserved Portugal’s long-standing connection to the sea through cinema. This emphasis on maritime films highlighted a unique aspect of Portugal’s cultural and cinematic heritage, linking the country’s history and identity with its maritime past.
FILMar also made significant strides in increasing public access to these preserved films. The project organised 502 screenings across 45 cities in Portugal, vastly exceeding the original plan of 25 screenings in just 6 cities. In addition to these domestic screenings, FILMar forged partnerships with major film festivals in Portugal, Iceland, and Norway, where digitised films were showcased, helping to extend the reach of Portuguese cinema internationally. Furthermore, the project reached over 200,000 viewers through 14 episodes in a Portuguese public broadcaster show dedicated to cinema, each featuring a selection of films. This widespread distribution helped revive interest in Portuguese maritime cinema and broadened its audience base.
A key part of FILMar’s outreach was its educational and mediation initiatives. These were developed in collaboration with state-run projects and aimed at schools and underserved regions of Portugal. The project created workshops and discussion panels that engaged audiences with Portugal’s maritime film heritage, allowing them to explore the cultural and historical significance of the films in an interactive setting. These initiatives not only promoted film education but also helped foster a deeper understanding of the country''s cinematic legacy, particularly its maritime-themed films.
FILMar also played a pivotal role in curating exhibitions and publishing materials that documented and disseminated the project’s findings. The project curated five exhibitions that explored the sea-related film heritage of Portugal. These exhibitions provided an immersive experience for visitors, allowing them to explore the intersection of cinema and Portugal’s nautical identity. In addition to the exhibitions, five books and one DVD were published, offering in-depth insights into the films digitised by the project, as well as the broader significance of maritime cinema in Portuguese film history.
The FILMar project sought to strengthen international partnerships. The project collaborated with the Norsk Filminstitutt (Norwegian Film Institute) to exchange knowledge on film preservation and digitisation. Through this partnership, Norwegian and Icelandic film professionals were hosted for workshops and screenings, enhancing cross-cultural dialogue and the sharing of expertise. Special programming that linked Portuguese and Norwegian maritime cinema was organised, further solidifying the international scope of the project and its impact on global film heritage.
The FILMar project had a profound and lasting impact on several key areas:
- Preservation: The digitisation and preservation of these films have saved endangered films that were at risk of being lost due to their fragility. By ensuring long-term access to these films, FILMar has played an essential role in preserving Portugal’s cultural history for future generations.
- Public Engagement: The project revived interest in maritime cinema and greatly expanded the reach of Portuguese cinema. By organising screenings in a wide range of cities across Portugal and partnering with international festivals, FILMar made these films accessible to a broad and diverse audience, ensuring that Portugal’s cinematic legacy is appreciated both at home and abroad.
- International Recognition: Through its partnerships with the Norsk Filminstitutt and other international institutions, FILMar has enhanced Portugal’s role in film heritage. The project has facilitated cross-cultural dialogue and has contributed to a stronger international presence for Portuguese cinema.
The success of the FILMar project has ensured its long-term sustainability. Continued screenings, digital exchanges, and research collaborations are planned, ensuring that the digitisation efforts will persist, and that public engagement will continue to grow. The project’s legacy also includes ongoing partnerships with international institutions, ensuring that the preservation and promotion of Portuguese film heritage will remain a priority for years to come.
In conclusion, FILMar has significantly transformed the way Portugal’s film heritage is preserved, digitised, and promoted. By focusing on maritime cinema, the project has ensured that a key aspect of Portugal’s cultural identity is safeguarded and made accessible to future generations. Through innovative outreach, education, and international collaboration, FILMar has revitalised interest in Portuguese cinema and ensured that its legacy will continue to be appreciated both domestically and internationally.
Through a series of carefully designed activities, FILMar significantly enhanced both the accessibility and visibility of Portugal''s cinematic history, while also ensuring its long-term preservation for future generations.
One of the most notable achievements of the project was the successful digitisation of 267 films, surpassing the original target of 70. This monumental effort resulted in the preservation of 10,531 minutes of film content, ensuring that these valuable historical and cultural assets are protected from degradation. The digitisation process created a foundation for future restorations and made it possible to share these films with a broader audience, offering a more sustainable approach to their preservation.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project organised 502 screenings in 45 cities, significantly surpassing the initial goal of 25 screenings in 6 cities. These screenings offered the general public unprecedented access to Portuguese film heritage, creating a greater cultural engagement and appreciation for the country’s cinematic legacy. The project managed to maintain its reach by adapting to restrictions and expanding its presence in various locations, both physical and virtual, to ensure that audiences had continuous access to these cultural assets.
FILMar developed a variety of film mediation and educational initiatives designed to reach new audiences, particularly those in underserved regions. These initiatives included partnerships with state-run projects aimed at integrating cinema into history education and collective memory programs. By involving schools and educational institutions, the project successfully brought Portugal’s film heritage into the academic and cultural conversation, further embedding it within the nation’s educational landscape.
The project curated five exhibitions that explored maritime-themed film heritage, linking cinema to Portugal’s rich nautical history. Additionally, FILMar published five books and one DVD on the subject, providing valuable resources for researchers, educators, and the public. Furthermore, 14 television programme episodes were produced, featuring 21 films and reaching over 200,000 viewers. These outputs played a crucial role in broadening the reach of Portuguese cinema, both within the country and internationally.
FILMar strengthened its international collaborations, particularly with the Norsk Filminstitutt in Norway. This partnership facilitated film exchanges, joint screenings, and the sharing of expertise, which helped elevate the visibility of Portuguese cinema in Norway. The project also expanded its presence in Icelandic and Norwegian film festivals, promoting cross-border cultural dialogue and enriching both countries’ film archives with Portuguese films.
This project had a wide range of beneficiaries, all of whom gained access to resources and opportunities that would otherwise have been limited.
For the first time, the general public was granted unprecedented access to restored films through screenings, television programmes, and exhibitions. This access fostered greater cultural engagement and allowed a wider audience to connect with Portugal''s film heritage. Historians, educators, curators, and exhibitors benefited from the project’s innovative resources and methodologies for film preservation, digitisation, and education. FILMar provided these professionals with tools and knowledge that enhanced their ability to preserve, study, and share Portuguese cinema. Museums, archives, and other cultural institutions were able to adopt FILMar’s innovative approaches to heritage promotion. The project’s success in digitisation, film mediation, and public engagement set a new benchmark for how cultural heritage can be preserved, presented, and shared with the public. Norwegian and Icelandic institutions enriched their own archives through shared films and collaborative projects. The international partnerships helped to expand the global presence of Portuguese cinema and strengthened cultural diplomacy between Portugal, Norway, and Iceland. The long-term preservation of maritime film heritage ensures that these films will remain accessible for future generations. The project has laid the groundwork for further research, educational initiatives, and cultural engagement surrounding Portugal’s cinematic legacy.
The sustainability of the FILMar project’s outcomes extends far beyond the duration of the funding. The continued screenings, digital exchanges, and partnerships are set to ensure the lasting impact of the project. The digital laboratory established by FILMar will continue to serve as a vital resource for future film restorations and preservation efforts. Furthermore, the educational programs and cultural initiatives developed throughout the project will continue to engage new audiences, ensuring that the preservation of Portuguese cinema remains an ongoing priority.
The project’s international collaborations, particularly with Norwegian and Icelandic institutions, will also provide opportunities for continued knowledge exchange, film preservation, and co-programming. These relationships ensure that Portugal’s film heritage remains accessible to both domestic and international audiences for years to come.
FILMar has fundamentally transformed film heritage preservation in Portugal, setting a new standard for how cultural assets can be preserved, digitised, and shared with the public. The project has demonstrated how strategic digitisation, public engagement, and international collaboration can revitalise endangered cultural resources, ensuring their survival and relevance for future generations. By creating a scalable model for collaboration and public engagement, FILMar has established a blueprint for future cultural heritage projects that can be replicated in other countries and contexts. Through its innovative approaches and lasting impact, the project has not only preserved Portuguese cinema but has also elevated it to a global stage, enriching both national and international cultural landscapes.
Summary of bilateral results
Regular screenings of Norwegian films in Portugal were carefully curated to engage in dialogue with the Portuguese films digitised under the project, with the participation of Norwegian specialists to provide further context and expertise. In addition, special programming was organised as part of Icelandic and Norwegian cultural initiatives, and professionals from both countries were invited to visit the digital laboratory to exchange knowledge and share best practices. Field trips and dedicated screenings were arranged for professionals from the Donor Countries, fostering cross-border collaboration. These interactions extended beyond Portugal and Norway, involving experts from various European and South American institutions, further enriching the exchange of expertise. Moving forward, cooperation with the project''s Norwegian partners will continue through regular screenings, the exchange of digital preservation techniques, and collaboration on film history research. Additionally, both institutions will work together on identifying elements critical to film identification and historical documentation, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this partnership.