The film producer Alexandre Oliveira revealed plans to replicate a distribution strategy successfully implemented fifteen years ago with “O Filme do Desassossego,” aimed at cine-theaters and municipal auditoriums, which garnered positive results.
“Back then, the numbers of viewers for Portuguese cinema were already low. Surprisingly, it’s even worse today,” he noted, attributing the limited exposure of films to a focus on more commercial cinema.
Recent data from the Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual (ICA) indicates that by September 2025, commercial cinema had attracted nearly 8.4 million viewers, with only 2.1% (172,771 viewers) opting for Portuguese films.
Oliveira expressed concern about the disengagement of older audiences from the commercial circuit, exacerbated by the pandemic’s streaming boom, which led people to prefer watching films at home. “It’s disheartening to see only four or five people in cinemas; they prefer home viewing,” he lamented.
Regarding the decline in audiences for Portuguese films, Oliveira is convinced that the public’s interest hasn’t waned but rather shifted away from visiting shopping centers.
“We are recognized internationally; our films easily secure co-productions. I don’t think it’s a content issue between us and the audience,” he argued.
He called for cine-theaters to support the exhibition of Portuguese films backed by the ICA, similar to theater productions funded by the Direção-Geral das Artes.
“If there’s a state policy with juries selecting these films via ICA, we must ensure they are watched. The market seems completely against us. We need cultural policies that guarantee supported films are seen,” Oliveira exclaimed.
Concerning “As Meninas Exemplares,” Oliveira outlined a nationwide tour with screenings in cine-theaters, often paired with an exhibition of engravings by Paula Rego, to whom the film pays tribute.
“As Meninas Exemplares,” featuring actresses Rita Durão, Victoria Guerra, Rita Blanco, Crista Alfaiate, and Margarida Marinho, draws inspiration from Russian writer Sophia Rostopchine, Countess of Ségur’s books, and Paula Rego’s work.
João Botelho, in June, explained his motivation for adapting a childhood book, influenced by his sisters: “As one grows older, they revisit their childhood.”
“The film aims to entertain and honor Paula Rego, a great painter, and the kind of cinema I admire,” he added.
Oliveira recalls this project being a long-standing idea of Botelho’s, initially discussed with Rego during a Venice film festival meeting.
“She loved the idea, offering to develop the sets and costumes. Back then, João lacked support, and it didn’t happen. Now he finally succeeded, although Paula Rego is no longer with us,” summarized Oliveira.
The film’s tour includes upcoming screenings in Bragança’s Teatro Municipal, a district capital with limited cinema offerings, and at Lisbon Film Festival – Leffest on November 14 at cinema São Jorge.
Additional exhibitions are confirmed in Leiria, Coimbra, Vila Real, and Porto, with a scheduled stay at Batalha — Centro de Cinema from December 4 to January 18.
The screenings will continue through 2026, aiming to cover the national territory and reach at least the district capitals, Oliveira stated.
