Collective, Cooperative, and Collaborative Cinema at Zumseig Cinemas
The Co-Festival fills the screen with bold, unconventional films—always created as a team.
There’s no single name claiming the spotlight—because this is the work of a collective. That’s the essence of the films screened at the Co-Festival, a space dedicated to collaborative and cooperative cinema that values creativity and collectivity in equal measure. Running until May 24 at Zumseig Cinemas.
The choice of venue is no coincidence: Zumzeig itself is a cooperative project, and one that probably deserves a film of its own, just like the ones you’ll see throughout the festival. The screenings are accompanied by talks and discussions.
On Thursday, May 22, you can see films like L’edat imminent by Col·lectiu Vigília, which tells the story of a young man caring for a grandmother who becomes increasingly dependent. Also screening are audiovisual creations from India, such as Mann Ka Thela by the Ektara Collective, centered on a young boy and his cart.
The next day, Friday, May 23, features major highlights such as Correspondências (pictured), by Laboratório da Cave, a collaborative audiovisual exchange between artists from Lisbon and Latin America; and El volcán by Safica Films, a paranormal tale of lava and eruptions shot in 8mm film.
Curious to see an entire village creating a film together? That’s the story behind Kukuaren Kanta, made by the Inhabitants of Lerga, also screening on Friday. That same day, you’ll also see Kinderfilm, by the pseudomarxist collective Total Refusal, and Lake of Fire, a work by Neozoon, a female artist collective based between Paris and Berlin.
Finally, on Saturday, May 24, the festival wraps up with a talk titled Utopia and Subversion: Programming Queer Feminist Cinema with Club des Femmes, followed by a workshop and the screening of O aborto não é um crime, about the practice of clandestine abortion in Lisbon.
If you want to see what cinema made through collective effort looks like, don’t miss the Co-Festival screenings. But make sure to check the full schedule on the website before attending.