Portugal

AO NORTE is a non-profit organisation, which was created in 1994 in Viana, do Castelo, in the north of Portugal.

This organisation develops its activity in three main areas:

1 – Film Projection:

a) 35 mm film projection in a local cinema on a weekly basis;
b) Thematic film sessions - projection in video format dedicated to a special theme or director on a weekly basis;
c) Film Festival – organisation of an annual film festival (May) – Encontros de Viana –– in which audio-visual training and documentary play the most important role. There is a special section in which several international cinema schools have already participated, namely Film and Television Institute of India, The National Film School of Denmark, University of Art and Design Helsinki UIAH, NIHON University – Department of Cinema (Tokyo), School of Photography and Film of Göteborg, VGIK –Russian State Institute of Cinematography, Beijing Film Academy, Netherlands Film and Television Academy - NFTA. The documentary competitive section is addressed to young cinema students from Portugal and Galiza (North of Spain).
Next year it will take place the 8th edition of this festival;
d) Open – air film projections during the summer in several small towns of the region.

2 – Training
a) Workshops – organisation of workshops, promoting audio-visual language and addressed to students of all ages from the region. These are practical workshops, which give the students the chance to make their own small film.

3 – Production
a) Documentary production – its main aim is the creation of an audio-visual legacy/memory by producing ethnographic documentaries;
b) Cooperation Programmes – participation in cooperation programmes, producing documentaries in former Portuguese colonies in Africa – Cape Verde and Angola.

4 – Other Activities
a) Documentation Centre – books, magazines about cinema and films;
b) Gallery – several exhibitions about cinema all over the year;
c) Cooperation Programmes – cooperation programmes established with similar organisations and schools in order to develop activities related to cinema.