Ana Sofia Pereira

Cinematic Chronicles: FEMglocal’s journey in recovering Portuguese feminist memory

CICANT – Universidade Lusófona, Portugal

Exploring the intricate interplay of storytelling, documentary, research, and activism, this
paper delves into the transformative potential of these elements in shaping societal
perspectives. The focal point is the “FEMglocal – Glocal feminist movements: interactions
and contradictions” research project, that seeks to recover the historical memory of
Portuguese feminisms and confront the pervasive social and cinematic invisibility faced by
feminist movements within the national landscape.

In the field of artivism, this research investigates the potential of creativity as a vehicle for
societal change by posing crucial questions regarding the function of media channels, in
particular films, in enhancing the impact of research. Can media channels genuinely wield the
power to change the world? These compelling inquiries guide the exploration within the
broader context of the FEMglocal project, which employs a diverse array of outputs and
strategies for scientific dissemination, seeking to extend its reach beyond traditional academic
boundaries. A notable endeavor involves the creation of a documentary on Portuguese
feminist movements, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the historical oversight
of feminism in national cinema.

This paper, thus, investigates the narrative format for scientific dissemination through cinema
and documentary, exploring the potential for new creative narrative forms rooted in science
and research. The emphasis lies on the inventive use of storytelling for documentary, social,
and artivist purposes, leading to the formation of Social Documentaries (SD).
Employing literature review and film analysis, our goal is to understand how the historical
narrative of feminisms in Portugal can be effectively communicated through documentaries,
fostering a pluralistic perspective among a diverse audience. The ultimate objective is to
enhance the accessibility and relevance of scientific insights, ensuring that the knowledge
derived from the research project remains a valuable societal asset.

Ana Sofia Pereira is a Post-Doctoral fellow in the project “FEMglocal – Glocal feminist
movements: interactions and contradictions” (PTDC/COM-CSS/4049/2021/DOI
10.54499/PTDC/COM-CSS/4049/2021).

In 2020 she completed a European PhD in Communication Sciences (majoring in Cinema, Screenwriting) at the New University of Lisbon, with a stay at the University of Reading, on the lack of women screenwriters and directors in Europe and specifically in Portugal. Also in 2020, and in 2022, she was one of the winners of the Program to Support the Writing and Development of Audiovisual and Multimedia Content promoted by ICA. She is a higher education professor, an integrated researcher at CICANT, a screenwriter and a script-doctor. Her main research interests lie in gender studies, cinema, digital communication and inclusion.