29th Festroia International Film Festival

The 29th edition of Festroia took place from 7 to 16 June 2013 in the picturesque Portuguese town of Setúbal, located around 40 kilometres south of Lisbon and opposite the narrow holiday peninsula of Troia, which gave the festival its name and where it originally took place from 1985 to 1995 before moving to Setúbal. Fernanda Silva has headed the festival since the death of its founder, Mário Ventura. The Official Section comprised 15 films (one of them out of competition), most of which were produced in European countries of limited film production, defined as producing less than 30 features per year. In addition to the Official Section, Festroia featured directorial debuts in the First Works Section, ecologically oriented films in Man and his Environment, romantic Love Films, a Juvenile Programme, an extensive section of Portuguese films, a Panorama section as well as numerous short films in the different sections. This year’s edition presented an extensive Homage to Belgian Cinema, which the many Belgian guests, including veteran actor Jan Decleir, celebrating his own Homage, confirmed was the largest selection of Belgian films ever in a film festival and which deservedly scooped up the most awards.

Despite the financial constraints resulting from the current economic crisis — the festival has lost 30 to 40 percent of its sponsorship from private companies — Festroia was once again marked by traditional Portuguese hospitality and generosity towards its numerous guests, thanks in large part to continued support by the municipality and by the MEDIA Programme in Brussels. (Stephen Locke)

Festroia International Film Festival: www.festroia.pt