From 28 July to 3 August 2025, the 11th edition of MDOC – Melgaço International Documentary Festival returns. Set in Melgaço, located in the Alto Minho region of northern Portugal, the festival promises a programme that celebrates auteur perspectives and regional heritage.
Central to MDOC 2025 is the competitive section, featuring over thirty films from around the globe, to be officially announced shortly. The festival maintains its unique commitment to combining cinema with meaningful reflections on territorial identity and memory.
One standout element is the PLANO FRONTAL Filmmaking Residency, led by Pedro Sena Nunes. Designed specifically for young filmmakers—final-year students or recent graduates in Cinema, Audiovisual, or Communication—this residency runs from 25 July to 3 August. Four selected teams, each comprising three members, will create documentaries exploring local themes.
Similarly, the Photography Residency offers an immersive ten-day experience for three young photographers, supported by an experienced team. Each participant receives a €2,000 grant to develop an original photography project that intimately engages with the local landscape and community.
The festival also provides educational opportunities through a Film Workshop conducted by celebrated Portuguese filmmaker #Margarida Cardoso#, from 28 to 31 July. Cardoso, renowned for blending documentary and fictional narratives, will guide participants through creative exercises and discussions.
On August 1, Spanish filmmaker Sandra Ruesga delivers a masterclass at Casa da Cultura de Melgaço, titled Exploring the Self: Self-Referential Cinema and Identity in the Work of Sandra Ruesga. Ruesga, acclaimed for her unique blending of personal intimacy with political themes, will provide in-depth insight into her creative process and cinematic voice.
Another highlight, X-RAY DOC, coordinated by #Jorge Campos#, takes place on 3 August. This session invites audiences to engage deeply with significant documentary classics: Chris Marker’s seminal Lettre de Sibérie (1957) and Joris Ivens’s influential …À Valparaíso (1963).
MDOC further enhances its international collaboration by participating in the VIVODOC Network, a European alliance promoting documentary exhibition and circulation. For the first time, MDOC hosts a meeting of VIVODOC representatives, facilitating dialogue on future directions. Members include festivals such as #Majordocs (Spain), Escales Documentaires (France), Frontdoc (Italy), and One World Romania.
In parallel, the AO NORTE Association launches the ambitious community-focused initiative Who Are We Who Are Here?, spotlighting Alvaredo parish in Melgaço. This project involves listening and recording residents’ stories, digitizing family photo archives, organizing photographic exhibitions, and publishing collected narratives, thereby connecting local memories to broader themes of cultural identity and heritage.
For more information, visit the official MDOC website.
