message from the director

For the past 37 years, Portimão has been headquarters for the oldest international film festival in Portugal.

37 years…a lifetime dedicated to disseminating audiovisuals in an ambitious project that has kept pace with the evolution of society, the world and the techniques of the 7th art itself.

Over the years there have been films in 8, Super 8, 16 mm, video and DVD, and now the competition only accepts films with professional support in 35 mm. It has brought us hundreds of films, movie people, tourism and culture, in a proposal for a world without frontiers.

It is a festival that never stops growing and trying to innovate and be useful.

This year’s season is really a 35 year celebration.

FICA has grown both in size and purpose. It has broadened its activities to cover all of the Algarve. Now it has permanent exhibition centres from Vila do Bispo to Vila Real de Santo António, a total 16 different municipality (all the Algarve).

It reaches more people and has other initiatives. More good reasons for a most interesting FICA 2007.

Now that we are intensely experiencing a new season / 2007, I would like to thank the support given us by official and private organizations, by the filmmakers, collaborators and anonymous persons who have encouraged us to keep going.

Sincere thanks to all of you.

Here’s to good films, a good festival and a good stay with us.

Carlos Manuel

FICA General Director

e-mail: director