Lisbon’s InShadow Festival 2024: Celebrating Video Dance and Artistic Innovation

Lisbon Desk, Delhi Magazine: Lisbon’s acclaimed InShadow Festival returns this November with an impressive lineup of international and Portuguese artists, making it the city’s only dedicated festival to video dance since its inception in 2009. International artists like Anouk Froidevaux, Baal, Dana Musa, Maja Zimmerlin, Marlene Millar, and Sam Asaert will join Portuguese talents Joana Gomes, Joana Franco, and Conceição Garcia for a dynamic celebration of art, body, and technology.

The festival will feature competitions in video dance, documentary, and animation, offering a unique convergence of image and performance through its multidisciplinary programs. The LittleShadow program is specially curated for children and young audiences, encouraging creative engagement in younger generations. Beyond screenings, InShadow will host a series of art installations and exhibitions across several cultural sites in Lisbon, including the Puppet Museum, Teatro do Bairro, Cinemateca Portuguesa, Biblioteca de Alcântara, Espaço Cultural das Mercês, Espaço Santa Catarina, and the Cistern Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Lisbon. Caís do Sodré and Santa Apolónia stations will also serve as unconventional performance spaces, bringing the festival’s spirit to the heart of Lisbon.

This year, Casa do Comum joins as a new venue partner, hosting documentary screenings. The festival’s programming includes workshops and masterclasses designed to educate audiences in various artistic practices. The Animation Competition will be held at the Puppet Museum on November 12th and 13th, while Casa do Comum will host the Documentary Competition from November 20th to 24th. The Video Dance Competition will take place at Teatro do Bairro from November 26th to 29th.

“InShadow navigates interdisciplinary spaces to inspire reflection on aesthetic and technical representations of the body on screen, stage, and other performance venues,” said Ana Rita Barata, co-artistic director of the InShadow Festival and Vo’Arte, in an official statement. The festival aims to weave together diverse art forms and perspectives, further enriching Lisbon’s cultural tapestry.

InShadow is organized by Vo’Arte, an association under the direction of Ana Rita Barata and Pedro Senna Nunes, committed to advancing contemporary artistic expression through festivals, exhibitions, and cultural events. Celebrating 25 years of influence in the arts, Vo’Arte also manages CiM – Dance Company, an inclusive dance group that brings together artists with and without disabilities, and hosts the InArt – Community Arts Festival.

InShadow 2024 promises to be a transformative experience, blending artistic mediums and encouraging new synergies, perspectives, and dialogues within the Lisbon community and beyond.