The STEREO section highlights trends and movements related to the future of music and cinema, emphasizing artificial intelligence, eco-processing and collaborative creation.

The programme for this 32nd edition highlights three subjects - artificial intelligence, eco-processing and collaborative creation - which emphasizes the importance of immediacy, life and interdisciplinarity.

On July 12th, one of the most marked Portuguese animation cinema names returns to the festival. João Gonzalez revisits 'Ice Merchants' in a show in which he performs live and solo for the first time.

After its run at BAFICI - the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival, the national preview of 'A Pedra Sonha Dar Flor', the new film by Rodrigo Areias about the work of journalist and writer Raul Brandão, will be performed to live music by the musician Dada Garbeck on July 14th at 5:30 pm.  

'Spectral Evolution', by Rafael Toral, is already one of the most outstanding albums of 2024, marking the return of one of Portugal's most inventive and transgressive creators to publishing under his own name. This album, inhabited by an informed combination of minimalist drone and vintage jazz, has been widely praised by national and international critics. For this performance in Vila do Conde, the festival is launching an open call for emerging video and film artists to create a visual environment for the composer's music in an artistic residency at ESMAD's STEREO laboratories. The premiere of this show is scheduled for July 16th at 11.30 pm.

In an unusual encounter scheduled for July 17th, Casa do Xisto invites composer and singer Lula Pena to work on an interesting musical creation with "spontaneous" plants. Using recording and eco-processing techniques, an original poetic duet of real-time listening-composition emerges, diluted by the human and non-human boundary.

On July 19th, at 11:30 pm, Filipe Melo and João Pereira will recreate the sound universe for Chris Marker's emblematic work, 'La Jetée', in a special session that will also feature narration by Beatriz Batarda.

Rounding off the list of confirmations is an unprecedented meeting between one of Portugal's most prolific experimental music groups, HHY & The Macumbas, and the creative collective Lunar Ring. Following the release of their vibrant third album, 'Bom Sangue Mau', the northern collective is presenting a new audiovisual work, entitled 'MAU SANGUE', in which their music will be reinterpreted by images generated by artificial intelligence. This will be an unrepeatable concert that will showcase the potential of improvisation and spontaneity in this premiere at Curtas de Vila do Conde, at 11.30 pm on July 20th.

Vila do Conde Municipal Theatre

FRI · JUL 12 · 8 PM

M/12, 50’

Film concert with João Gonzalez (tickets here)

‘Ice Merchants’, ‘Nestor’, ‘The Voyager’, João Gonzalez

and other films to be announced soon

SUN · JUL 14 · 5:30 PM

M/12, 101’

Film concert with Dada Garbeck (tickets here)

‘A Pedra Sonha Dar Flor’, Rodrigo Areias

TUE · JUL 16 · 11:30 PM

M/12, 50’

Film concert with Rafael Toral (tickets here)

Live performance of the album 'Spectral Evolution'

FRI · JUL 19 · 11:30 PM0

M/16, 27’

Film concert with Filipe Melo, João Pereira

and narrated by Beatriz Batarda (tickets here)

‘La Jeté’, Chris Marker

SAT · JUL 20 · 11:30 PM

M/12, 50’

HHY & The Macumbas: performing

with the collective Lunar Ring (tickets here)

Live performance of the album 'MAU SANGUE'

Casa do Xisto - Film and Visual Arts Residency

WED · JUL 17 · schedule coming soon

Film concert with Lula Pena (more info here)

Presentation of the films produced

during the EcoLab (artistic residency)