Manuel Matos Barbosa, film club member, director and author of several illustration and comic books, was distinguished with the Art & Technique award by the Portuguese Academy of Cinema.
The distinction – part of this year’s edition of the Sophia Awards, especially dedicated to Portuguese animation – comes in the scope of the Cine-Caravan project, for which Vanessa Alvarez was also recognised. The Cine-Caravan is a mobile cinema, which carries an inflatable 5-metre screen, projector and sound system, which can be installed and uninstalled in thirty minutes in any space.
“I want to thank the Academy in a year when it has a certain dedication to animation cinema. I should leave this cinema madness. There’s a film finishing and there might be another one coming up next… I don’t know if I’ll have time for that, but let’s see if I can. I would like to come back up here” – said Manuel Matos Barbosa at the award ceremony.
The 86-year-old recognised cine-clubist has a vast worldwide awarded filmography, was part of the group that started the movement that created the current FPCA, is the Portuguese representative at the UNICA in Oestende, Belgium and, throughout the years, has been invited as a jury in dozens of international animation festivals. Member of the Cinanima Organizing Committee for over 40 years, he is still today the programming consultant of this festival. He is currently completing an animated short film based on a story by Fialho de Almeida.
CINANIMA and its team congratulate our friend Matos Barbosa for the distinction deservedly awarded!