With 30 cultural proposals scheduled over ten days, including some national premieres, the FMD offers a program encompassing dance, performance, music, discussions, walks, family activities, and training sessions.
The organization highlights the world premiere of ‘Sofreh-e del – Spread of the Heart (A Mesa do Coração)’ by Rebecca Moradalizadeh, who will engage with the local community, and ‘Bombazine em Agosto’ by Francisca Poças, as part of the winning project for regional creation support, Fios do Meio. This network project supports and promotes performing artists from the districts of Santarém and Leiria.
Among the six national premieres, FMD will present ‘Conversaciones con lo invisible’ by Carolina Cifras, ‘to be possessed’ by Chara Kotsali, ‘To be schieve or a romantic attempt’ by Fanny Brouyaux, ‘Comidas Crioulas’ by nyamnnyam, and ‘Spine of Desire: Wounds Without Tears, Out of One Skin in Diamonds and Shit’ by Stanley Ollivier, part of the European programming network Be My Guest.
Additional performances include works by Gaya de Medeiros (‘Pai para Jantar’), La Chachi (‘Taranto Aleatório’), Sara Anjo (‘Andar para trás’), Sofia Dias & Vítor Roriz (‘Uma Conspiração Animista’), and Vânia Rovisco (‘No Corpo: Assim se conhece o mundo’).
In collaboration with the Festival Bons Sons in Cem Soldos, Tomar, concerts by A SUL and Líquen will feature at the FMD.
Concurrent to the performances, the ‘Matérias do Agora’ conversation series will host dialogues on sustainability, inclusion, tradition, identity, and the role of journalism in spreading hate speech and populism. There will also be co-curated sessions with the youth of Alcanena and Minde, focusing on their concerns, interests, and urgent issues.
This series will also include a reflection on the 110th anniversary of the Sociedade Musical Mindense.
Activities such as a guided tour of Lapa da Cerejeira, the presentation of the book ‘Linhas de Tensão. Arte, Dança e Ecologia’, family activities with the Traquinar project, parties featuring DJ sets by KING KAMI, Casal Maravilha (Tita Maravilha & Bertrandious), and STANLEY (Stanley Ollivier), and the seminar ‘FUTURA – Práticas Curatoriais para a Transformação’ are also planned.
Featuring artists from nine nationalities, including Portugal, Brazil, Iran, Chile, Greece, Belgium, France, Spain, and Italy, the FMD will take place across various locations in Alcanena, such as the Cine-Teatro, the Museum, and the Municipal Market, the Centro Ciência Viva do Alviela, and gardens, with the hub town of Minde hosting events at the Centro de Artes e Ofícios Roque Gameiro, the Museu da Aguarela Roque Gameiro, the former Elementary School 1, the Polje de Mira-Minde, and the central plaza.
The complete program is available at https://materiaisdiversos.com/.
Drawing from the question, ‘What do we want to envision for the next 50 years of democracy?’, the artistic director of Materiais Diversos, Cristina Planas Leitão, expressed in September the festival’s intent to act as a connector, making a wide range of knowledge, stories, and less visible voices accessible, linking past, present, and future. The aim is to contribute to preserving and enhancing public debate, plurality, dissent, and thus democracy.
“We add to ideas of democracy and future the notions of connectivity and movement,” said Cristina Planas Leitão, who took over the project’s direction in April, succeeding the previous artistic director Elisabete Paiva, who initiated the program for an event marking its 13th edition in the Santarém district.
