The animated short film “If Freedom Ever”, produced by Cooperativa Nascente and coordinated by Professor João Católico, won the Student Award at the 29th edition of the Avanca Film Festival, which took place this month.
The result of an innovative educational and artistic project — Animated April: The Revolution in Two Dimensions — the film is the result of a joint effort by teachers and secondary school students from five schools in the municipalities of Ovar and Espinho. The project highlights the 50th anniversary of the April 25th 1974, giving voice to young people’s views and interpretations of the concept of freedom.
Divided into four parts, the film crosses the past, present and future, while articulating different visual and sound languages. The narrative, constructed collaboratively and based on research and the sharing of experiences during artistic residencies, promotes a plural and critical reading of freedom – from the time of the Estado Novo regime to the challenges of today.
The following educational institutions participated in the project:
- Escola Secundária de Esmoriz (Ovar)
- Escola Secundária Dr. Manuel Gomes de Almeida (Espinho)
- Escola Secundária Dr. Manuel Laranjeira (Espinho)
- Escola Secundária Júlio Dinis (Ovar)
- Professional Music School of Espinho
This initiative, developed over almost a year, reinforces the relevance of projects that link art with reflection in an educational context. It also demonstrates how cultural creation can be born within schools and achieve visibility and appreciation — because talking about freedom remains essential in any generation.
