A letter sent to Margarida Balseiro Lopes reveals Pedro Borges’s concern regarding the disregard shown towards over a decade of work and a unique private sector investment to restore a historic cinema venue. The venue requires 40,000 euros for new digital projection equipment as the existing one, purchased 11 years ago, is nearing the end of its life.
The Midas Cinemas applied for 30,000 euros from the 2025 Ad Hoc financial support program of the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA) for re-equipment and upgrades at Cinema Ideal, but received a disappointing response of only 20,000 euros. “This means we will be forced into additional debt,” the exhibitor lamented.
Earlier in October, the exhibitor publicly raised concerns over the significant reduction in funding potentially leading to the closure of Cinema Ideal. While the ICA’s website indicates the Ad Hoc support is under review, an ICA press release noted that the funding of 20,000 euros represents 66.6% of the requested amount and equals 50% of the total project budget. The amount matches previous allocations for similar equipment or projector acquisition applications.
The ICA emphasized that the funding decision does not diminish the merit and quality of Cinema Ideal’s work. However, the cinema manager argues the venue provides an invaluable public service to the community, acknowledged with a cultural merit medal in 2024.
“We’re faced with the choice of accepting this support, which leads us into unsustainable debt given our already dire operating conditions, or refusing it and risking the projector failing, potentially forcing Cinema Ideal to close,” Pedro Borges expressed.
Located between Chiado and Bairro Alto, Cinema Ideal reopened on August 28, 2014, through Midas Filmes. It is one of the few Lisbon cinemas with street access, outside of a shopping center, with a special focus on Portuguese cinema programming.
