SAAL CINEMA PROGRAMME: Session with Manuel Correia Fernandes, João Dias and Delfim Sardo

The Local Ambulatory Support Service (SAAL) is the subject of the exhibition "SAAL Process, Architecture and Participation 1974-1976” on display at the Serralves Museum between 1 November 2014 and 2 February 2015.  The SAAL process was a huge collective endeavour - that involved brigades led by architects (which included social workers, engineers and lawyers), architecture students - who undertook their training in direct contact with the deprived populations of the respective neighborhoods - and, of course, the local residents of the slums or the islands who viewed the SAAL process as a dynamic way to resolve their serious housing shortages. In the 40-year interval since the launch of this innovative and complex project - which transformed the understanding of architecture in Portugal - a symbolic value has grown up around it, associated with the production of an interesting set of films. These films have forged an imaginary universe that has been handed down to us concerning the social, political and architectural process that existed during this intense period.In parallel with the exhibition, the Serralves Museum has organized a film series that aims to portray the context in which the SAAL process affirmed itself, together with its vicissitudes, virtues and fragilities. The series will present films derived from the dynamics of the process itself and that helped forge its imaginary universe, together with previous films that built a map of modernity and portrayed Portugal and its shortages (such as "D. Roberto” (1962), by Ernesto de Sousa and "Belarmino” (1964), by Fernando Lopes). The film series also extends to more recent film production, ranging from "As Operações SAAL”, by João Dias to the short films by Filipa César and Catarina Alves Costa. The intense screening sessions are accompanied by comments by the protagonists of the SAAL process, privileged observers or the films’ directors. The film series will be an essential complement to the reflection proposed by the exhibition, thus contributing to the debate about this unique moment in our collective history.Delfim Sardo

Presentation and coments by Manuel Correia Fernandes, João Dias and Delfim Sardo: - "As Operações de SAAL”, João de Dias, 2006, 120’