João Penalva presents the film "KITSUNE" at Batalha Cinema Center in Porto

On 2 October, Lusófona University hosted another session of the Great Artists on Campus #2 series at Batalha Centro de Cinema, this time featuring Portuguese artist João Penalva, who presented his film KITSUNE – The Fox Spirit (2001).

The Lusófona University series aims to bring contemporary artistic creation to the academic community and the general public, with free admission as one of its fundamental principles.

João Penalva presented KITSUNE – The Fox Spirit, a 55-minute film produced in the United Kingdom. The work uses landscape and visual and sound environments to explore themes such as the passage of time, longing and loneliness, creating a narrative that brings together cultural references and different ways of representing a place.

Following the screening, a conversation with the artist was led by João Sousa Cardoso, Director of the Bachelor's Degree in Audiovisual Communication and Multimedia at Lusófona University - Porto University Centre. During the discussion, Penalva highlighted the importance of stimulating the audience's imagination, allowing each viewer to develop their own interpretation of the film. The artist also emphasised the connection between cinema and painting, highlighting framing as a fundamental element in the composition of an image and in the viewer's visual experience.

The artist also stressed the importance of offering young people cinematic experiences that differ from what they are accustomed to finding on streaming platforms or in cinemas. For Penalva, the aim is to leave room for each viewer to create their own version of the film in their mind. “It is very important because I want to leave room for you to make your own film in your mind,” he said.

With this session, Great Artists on Campus #2 in Porto continues to bring the academic community closer to artists and their creative processes, opening up a space for dialogue about cinema and the different ways of interpreting and constructing images.

View the event photos on Lusófona University's Facebook page

Event Coverage
Gabriel Motta
Rosalina Baptista

Photo Editing
Gabriel Motta

Text and Video Editing
Rosalina Baptista