"Europe doesn't exist, I was there" is the theme of the 11th edition. "It's a provocation," says Dario Oliveira, the festival's artistic director. "We live in a region facing challenges such as demographic explosion, political injustices, and nearby wars. Europe is no longer what it used to be. Its economy has crumbled, and society is increasingly unjust."

To counter this movement of ‘exclusion,’ the festival aims to “create a space for reflection, where everyone can participate." The discussions before and after the films offer an opportunity to think and discuss these issues. "The impact of the images of war and violence that reach us, often trivialized by the media, instill fear and instability, especially in younger people," says Dario, adding that "it's necessary to find new ways to look at these realities and develop freer and more informed thinking."

In this edition, the festival has selected six films that explore “the roots of Europe.” Among them, a Greek film revisiting the origin of civilization and another, about the Romani people, highlighting the exclusion of gypsies in European society. With this program, the festival aims to be a place of discovery. “These are auteur films, with personal reflection, and above all, they are films that predicted in their time what Europe is now. They were visionary,” he concludes.

Destaques da programação 

A 11.ª edição do festival arranca com o filme Apocalipse nos Trópicos, da realizadora brasileira Petra Costa, que aborda o impacto das religiões evangélicas na política do Brasil. Dario considera este filme especialmente relevante, alertando para os perigos de grupos religiosos organizados que estão a ganhar influência também em Portugal. "É um filme necessário e um excelente ponto de partida para a viagem que faremos pela Europa." 

Dentre os filmes destacados por Dario, estão também A Paixão de Joana D'Arc, de Carl Dreyer, com acompanhamento musical ao vivo pelo compositor Alex FX, e Latcho Drom, um documentário de Tony Gatlif sobre a jornada do povo romani desde o Rajastão até Espanha. "É um filme musical que todos deviam ver", recomenda Dario. 

The festival's focus is clear: documentary films are at the heart of the program, although there is also room for fiction and experimental cinema. Moreover, Porto/Post/Doc is not limited to film screenings. For three days, it hosts around 200 professionals from the film industry, including producers, distributors, and exhibitors, creating vital opportunities for new Portuguese cinema.