For a history of the histories of Portuguese cinema

Abstract

For decades, the history of Portuguese cinema was made without historians or academics in the social sciences and humanities, but made by curious, enthusiasts and writers who were committed to the object itself. It was therefore that these early writings, although an essential role in collecting and inventariações sources, promoted the creation of myths, more implicitly or explicitly manipulated the past of Portuguese cinema and conditioned its historic narrative.

This thematic dossier brings together four essays that analyze and reflect on different ideas and conceptions of Portuguese Cinema which have been outlined in stocks, texts and films over the decades. The purpose of this dossier is not to answer questions, but take advantage of them to review preconceived ideas and to launch reading hypotheses to classic and current issues in the history of Portuguese cinema.