For four days, the event in Baião presented a varied program, including film premieres, conversations with cinema and literature professionals, educational activities, and discussions on cinema, literature, history, and heritage. The initiative involved hundreds of students from the municipality's school clusters and the local community.
The 2026 edition began with an opening session featuring interventions by Rui Pedro Tendinha, the festival's curator, and Olívia Mendes, Councillor for Culture. The first day was marked by the premiere of the animated feature film “A Ilha Esquecida,” screened at the Municipal Auditorium for students of the Agrupamento de Escolas de Eiriz. The program also included the presence of actress Leonor Belo at the Agrupamento de Escolas de Vale de Ovil and the participation of students from the Agrupamento de Escolas do Sudeste in a session of RTP's Zig Zag segment.
The second day highlighted the visit of actress Mariana Monteiro to the Agrupamento de Escolas de Eiriz, where she shared experiences from her artistic career. The link between cinema and history was explored with the presentation of the short films “A Espuma e o Leão” and “Vasco da Gama – O Mar Infinito,” by Cláudio Jordão, followed by a discussion with historian Joel Cleto. Students from the Vale de Ovil and Sudeste school clusters reflected on cinema's role in preserving collective memory. RTP's Zig Zag segment also featured students from the Agrupamento de Escolas de Vale de Ovil.
The third day brought the premiere of “Além do Horizonte – A Travessia,” by Fernando Vendrell, a film recounting the South Atlantic crossing by Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho, with a national release scheduled for October 29th. The director and actor Tiago Costa were present to share the creation process. Actors Tiago Costa and Joana Pais de Brito participated in the “JUVE Vai à Escola” initiative at the Agrupamento de Escolas do Sudeste de Baião. There was also a Zig Zag session for students of the Agrupamento de Escolas de Eiriz and, in the evening, a screening of the restored version of Persépolis.
The final day began with a screenwriting masterclass led by João Moreira, creator of Bruno Aleixo, at the Biblioteca Municipal António Mota. In the afternoon, the Municipal Auditorium hosted the presentation of “Selina Felina,” an original story by Joana Pais de Brito, and the screening of the short film “No Fundo da Tua Orelha,” filmed in Baião. A Cinematic Walk with Joaquim de Almeida and Mariana Monteiro preceded the closing.
The highlight of the 2026 edition was the tribute to actor Joaquim de Almeida, recognizing his prestigious career in Portuguese cinema. The evening concluded with the cine-concert “Viagem Através do Impossível,” by Georges Méliès, accompanied live by Ed Rocha Gonçalves of Best Youth, celebrating culture and creativity.
