ANA MARGARIDA SILVA
Ana Margarida Silva holds a degree in Modern Languages from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra and a Master’s in Intercultural Studies for Business from ISCAP – P. Porto. She is a researcher at the Centre for Intercultural Studies (ISCAP-P.Porto) and a doctoral candidate at the University of Santiago de Compostela, where she is developing the thesis “The Identity and the Memory of the Cultural Territory of Serra da Estrela”. Her research also encompasses a diversity of themes, including culture and the arts, cultural and creative industries, gender and feminist studies, graffiti and street art, territory, and sustainability. She is a member of several European COST Actions focused on the revitalisation of mountain areas, climate resilience, and practices of identity and memory, where she takes on coordination and international representation roles. Her path is also marked by civic and social engagement, as a volunteer at the associations ACREDITAR and VIDES.
CARLA ALCOBIA
Carla Alcobia is 48 years old and holds a degree in Public Relations and Advertising, as well as a postgraduate qualification in Water Technologies and Management, which was promoted by the Águas Livres Academy in collaboration with the Faculty of Science and Technology and the NOVA School of Business and Economics at NOVA University Lisbon. Since 1999, she has worked at EPAL in the field of Communication. She is a member of the Communication, Marketing, and Environmental Education Department and serves as Environmental Education Supervisor for both EPAL and Águas do Vale do Tejo.
MATILDE SANTOS
Matilde Santos, from Seia, Serra da Estrela, is 23 years old and grew up close to nature, which sparked her environmental awareness. She holds a degree in Medicinal Biotechnology from the School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto and a Master’s in Applied Microbiology from the School of Biotechnology of the Portuguese Catholic University. Throughout her academic journey, she participated in national and international research projects, including internships at CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research) and at TU Delft in the Netherlands, where she joined the Environmental Biotechnology group and studied the use of phages against antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater. Beyond research, she believes cinema is a powerful tool for raising awareness and connecting science, society, and the environment.
PEDRO FERNANDES
Pedro Fernandes Duarte is the founder of the Portuguese film production company Primeira Idade, having overseen the production of over 20 films. These include 15 short films, several of which premiered at prestigious international festivals including Cannes, Berlinale, Locarno, and Rotterdam, as well as feature films such as A Metamorfose dos Pássaros, directed by Catarina Vasconcelos—Portuguese official submission for the 2021 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The film was distributed worldwide by Netflix and went on to win 40 international awards.
From 2011 to 2014, he produced films with Rosa Filmes before founding Primeira Idade in the same year. He served on the Board of Directors of Apordoc – the Portuguese Documentary Association – in 2014, 2015, and again from 2022 to 2026.
He has participated in numerous international industry initiatives, including film projects such as the ScriptLab at the Torino Film Lab (2022) and the Biennale College Cinema at the Venice Biennale (2019). From 2015 to 2020, Duarte also served as a jury member for the international short film competition at Visions du Réel (2020), the Moscow Documentary Festival (2016), Berlinale Talents (2016), and participated as an Emerging Producer at the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (2015).
RITA NUNES
Rita Nunes (Lisbon, 1974) is a director, screenwriter and producer. She graduated in Film from the Lisbon Theatre and Film School in 1996 and made her debut in 1997 with the short film Menos Nove, awarded at several international festivals. Since then, she has developed a body of work that spans fiction and documentary, with award-winning titles such as Só Por Acaso (Prix Europa, Best TV Film) and Linhas Tortas (European Audience Award, Arte Kino Festival). Her most recent feature film, O Melhor dos Mundos, premiered at IndieLisboa 2024 and internationally at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, before touring other festivals and being released theatrically in Portugal and abroad.
BRUNO CARNIDE
Bruno Carnide, nominated twice for the Sophia Awards of the Portuguese Film Academy, is an independent portuguese director and founding director of Leiria Film Fest – International Short Film Festival, since 2013.
He has directed fiction, animation and documentary short films, which won dozens awards and have been exhibited in hundreds film festivals around the world, including qualifying festivals for the Oscars and European Film Awards such as ZINEBI (Spain), InterFilm Berlin (Germany), Huesca (Spain), Izmir (Turkey), CineLebu (Chile), Drama (Greece), Tirana (Albania) or St. Louis (U.S.A.).
With a Specialist Title in Film Production, Bruno Carnide is a professor in the field of Cinema at Polytechnic University of Leiria (Portugal).
He was curator at Museum of the Moving Image (Portugal), between 2022 and 2024, and is frequently a member of the jury at International Film Festivals.
As a freelancer, Bruno Carnide has directed hundreds of corporate and commercial videos for companies such as Google, Volkswagen, Ford, MTV, Nickelodeon, Portuguese Television or Schweppes.
His filmography includes the short films "Memories of an Empty House" (2023), "Fled. Lay. Fell." (2017), both shot on 8mm film, and the animated short film "The Flight of the Manta Rays" (2021).
MARIA JOÃO FERREIRA
Maria João Amaral Ferreira is 18 years old and, in the current academic year, will be starting a History course at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra.
From an early age, she has been interested in the protection of environmental health and the preservation of our planet, and she believes that cinema is a vital medium to support this mission. Through cinema, it is possible to influence behaviours and attitudes, raising awareness in pursuit of the core goal of this festival.
She is therefore grateful for the opportunity to take an active role in this initiative and believes it will provide her with a more profound understanding of environmental issues and the art of cinema.Desta forma, agradece a oportunidade de participar de forma ativa nesta dinâmica e acredita que lhe trará uma visão mais precisa sobre questões ambientais e sobre a arte do cinema.
NUNO BARROS
He is a member of LIPOR’s Communication and Brand Division, leading internal communication strategies and driving, at the same time, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability initiatives with a focus on people, culture, and ethics.
With a background in Biology, his career centres on environmental education and communication.
Passionate about the emotional power of imagery, he uses it to make environmental topics more accessible and impactful.
As CineEco marks its 30th anniversary, he is proud to continue contributing to this project that has, over the years, fostered the connection between cinematic culture and environmental values.
PAULA NUNES DA SILVA
Paula Nunes da Silva is a forest engineer born in Alijó, Portugal, in 1978. She graduated in Forest Engineering from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro and holds a postgraduate degree in Geographic Information Systems. Since 2015, she has been a member of Quercus – National Association for Nature Conservation, assuming the presidency of the National Board in February 2020. Throughout her career, Paula has been prominent in promoting environmental sustainability, with a special focus on native forests and biodiversity preservation. She coordinates the "Criar Bosques" project, which aims to restore and enhance forest habitats.
In the field of environmental communication, Paula Nunes da Silva has been a constant presence in public awareness campaigns. She is the host of the program "Planeta Verde" on Porto Canal, addressing topics related to nature conservation and sustainable practices. Her voice is also featured in "Minuto Verde," a segment highlighting environmental issues on RTP's "Bom Dia Portugal."
Beyond her role at Quercus, Paula Nunes da Silva contributes to environmental awareness through podcasts such as "De Verde em Quando," where she explores issues related to forests and sustainability, inviting experts and fostering dialogue about Portugal's environmental future.
TIAGO FLOR
Tiago Filipe Santos Coelho Zuzarte Flor is 16 years old and is from Santa Marinha, Seia, and studies Science and Technology at Seia Secondary School.
Deeply connected to music, he pursues the Supplementary Course at the Collegium Musicum of Seia and performs with the Estrela da Beira Philharmonic Society. Alongside music, sport also plays a significant role in his life, as he is an active football player.
In Year 8, he took part in the Parlamento dos Jovens (Youth Parliament), an experience that sparked his interest in reflection and debate. His concern for the environment has continued to grow, leading him to dedicate himself increasingly to finding solutions that contribute to global sustainability. He believes that younger generations have a crucial role in preserving nature and that change begins with small actions in everyday life.
ALINE FLOR
Aline Flor is the editor of Azul, the climate and environment section of the Portuguese newspaper Público. She has a master's degree in documentary filmmaking and a postgraduate degree in human rights, and writes about environmental public policy, international negotiations, and climate justice.
GABRIELA GIFFONI
Gabriela is a filmmaker, playwright, and screenwriter. She holds a Master’s degree in Film Creation from the Elías Querejeta Film School in Spain. She directed the short films Killing me Softly and Eco de um soco no Osso.
She is also the founder of the practical writing lab “Compondo com Imagens”, where she supports participants in exploring filmmaking practice and developing their own authorial approaches to narrative.
INÊS FERREIRA NORMAN
Inês Ferreira-Norman (Caldas da Rainha, 1984) is an artist, essayist and independent researcher, permaculture designer and ecologist. She moved to the United Kingdom in 2003 to study Illustration but her career veered towards arts management and production, and thus worked with institutions such as Tate Liverpool, White Cube, Frieze and a wide range of artists such as Raqib Shaw, Stanza, Alexandra Mir and David Blackmore. She has a Master’s degree in Fine Art and Book Arts, with significant video art work, and a thesis pertaining to sustainability, geopolitics and the artworld.
In 2019, then based in Portugal, she became the editor-in-chief of the academic peer-reviewed Journal of Arts Writing by Students, published by Intellect ltd. Ferreira-Norman won a bursary to study Green Tech Enterprise at the University College London, and in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship by the Social Business School Cascais, after which she created Cyclic Matter an association that acts in the field of soil health, and organised and produced Compostival, in 2022, in Peniche. Currently she writes at ArteCapital and directs a permaculture project in São Pedro do Sul. She is also an invited artist and educator at ESAD Caldas da Rainha and at FBA Universidade do Porto.
MARTA RODRIGUES
Marta Rodrigues is 17 years old and is currently enrolled in the Languages and Humanities course at Seia Secondary School. She is a communicative, responsible and creative individual with a keen interest in culture, communication, and interpersonal relations. She grew up with dancing as her main form of expression — a ground where she discovered how movement can forge connections with the world and with other individuals. Throughout her journey, she has also learned the importance of caring for the planet, taking part in school-led litter collection initiatives that have made her aware of the value of small collective actions. She believes that the environment underpins everything we are and everything we do. Preserving it means ensuring not only the future of coming generations but also the quality of life nowadays. For her, sustainability is more than a concept: it is a daily behaviour, built on conscious choices and respect for the natural beauty that surrounds us. In this project, she harbours the creative energy and discipline that dance has taught her, convinced that art can be a vector for change. She seeks to instil responsibility, awareness, and a harmonious relationship between humanity and nature, firmly believing that each gesture, as simple as it may seem, can make a difference.
MARTIM DUNHÃO
Martim Dunhão, 17, from Torrozelo, is a Year 12 Science and Technology student at Seia Secondary School. Passionate about football since childhood, he now plays for São Romão Sports Association (Associação Desportiva de São Romão).
Growing up close to rural life, he developed a strong awareness of environmental issues. This bond with nature led him to value and actively contribute to the preservation of his surroundings, deepening his concern for sustainability.
CAMILA MARTINS
She has a degree in Psychology and is studying for a Masters in Clinical Psychology and Adult Psychotherapy at the University of Minho. She has a keen interest in cinema, including in the context of social and environmental issues, and believes in the importance of audiovisuals as a tool for raising awareness. She believes that cinema can influence the way people perceive social, cultural and ecological issues. He is also interested in understanding the emotional impacts of environmental change, as well as other issues linked to human well-being.
FRANCISCA MARTINS
Francisca Martins, 15, lives in Seia. She is in the 11th grade studying Science and Technology. She is very interested in topics such as animal conservation, fashion and different forms of expression, such as cinema. She considers cinema to be one of the most impactful forms of art, allowing for both reflection and creativity.
He is also interested in visual aesthetics, seeing it as a powerful means of expression.
GIL MARQUES
Gil Marques is 22 years old and was born in France. He is currently studying Tourism and Leisure at the Escola Superior de Turismo e Hotelaria, Instituto Politécnico da Guarda.
He has been aware of environmental causes since he was a child and is currently doing his internship at the Serra da Estrela Interpretation Center (CISE).
HUGO LUÍS
Hugo Alexandre Marques Luís was born in Vide, is 17 years old and attends the 12th year of the Science and Technology course at Seia Secondary School. He has always been a sports fan and is currently playing soccer for Seia Futebol Clube. He likes video games, movies and hanging out with friends. Having grown up in a rural area, next to the river and forests, so close to nature, environmental causes have always been close to his heart, having already taken part in reforestation campaigns after the 2017 fires. He remembers attending CineEco as a child.
MARIA LUÍSA
Maria Luísa Neto Rodrigues, 16, is from Bragança, but lives in Seia, where she is in the 12th year of the Socio-Economic Sciences course at Seia Secondary School. Passionate about figure skating, a sport she's been involved in for seven years, she also loves hiking in the Serra da Estrela whenever she gets the chance.
MARIANA MARTINS
Mariana Martins is a student on the Visual Arts Scientific course at Seia Secondary School. Ever since she was little, she has valued the world of art, especially in the areas of theater and singing, where she is currently training. She attended the Seia Conservatory of Music from the age of seven, and aspires to train in theater, following her dream of musical theater. In addition to her artistic side, she also enjoys writing and composing.
For the 31st edition of the CINEECO festival
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