where life happens

‘Where Life Happens’, the theme of the 10th edition of Arquiteturas Film Festival, reflects on architecture beyond the built form. The idea that architecture is capable of transforming cities and societies is widely accepted, but it is the actions of the people who inhabit and give meaning to architecture that carry the greatest weight in these processes.

In its 10th edition, Arquiteturas Film Festival harnesses the power of moving images as a tool for promoting architecture. As well as film screenings, the festival programme features talks, tours and installations, which act as a springboard for more in-depth discussions of the themes and research behind the films.

Arquiteturas Film Festival is organised by INSTITUTO and directed by architect Paulo Moreira. Founded in 2018, INSTITUTO is a Porto-based platform for discussing and disseminating architecture and its intersections with the visual and spatial arts, critical thinking and interdisciplinary collaborations.

The festival will take place over five days, from 27 June to 1 July 2023, and will be divided into three main sections: Official Programme, Guest Institution Programme and Competition Programme. Each section is associated with different venues, creating a network between various places in the city: Batalha Centro de Cinema, Casa Comum, INSTITUTO, Bolhão Market, Albergues do Porto and Circo de Ideias.

→ instituto
[festival organiser]

INSTITUTO is a focal point for different forms of cultural expression, located in the heart of Porto. The team’s interests and backgrounds have given rise to a programme that diverges from the field of architecture to encompass the visual and spatial arts, critical thinking and multidisciplinary collaborations. We seek to encourage the creation and exploration of new contemporary discourses through interdisciplinarity, the informality of the space and the will to tackle burning issues in today’s society.

Since 2021, INSTITUTO has taken up the challenge of organising and reinventing the former Arquiteturas Film Festival. Now in Porto, the festival is cementing its reputation as an international platform for discussing and disseminating architectural production through films, exhibitions and debates.

→ cca
[guest institution]

The CCA is an international research institution and museum premised on the belief that architecture is a public concern. Through its collection, exhibitions, public programs, publications, films, and research opportunities, the CCA advances knowledge, promotes public understanding, and widens thought and debate on architecture, its history, theory, practice, and its role in society today.

The CCA collection documents the culture and production of architecture worldwide from the Renaissance through the present day, including, among many others, the archives of Peter Eisenman, Arthur Erickson, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, John Hejduk, Gordon Matta-Clark, Cedric Price, Aldo Rossi, James Stirling, Pierre Jeanneret, Abalos & Herreros and Foreign Office Architects.

Founded as a new type of cultural institution by Phyllis Lambert in 1979, the CCA is currently directed by Giovanna Borasi.