Science and Politics of Animated Matter Part III - the mystery of life

Welcome to fimp!

Sciences and the Politics of Animated Matter Part III (third and final part) – the mystery of life

In this edition, fimp will conclude this triptych dedicated to the sciences and politics as seen through puppets and animated objects.

This edition's programme can be experienced through a very particular lens; the idea that an inanimate object can be animated and become alive, or at least perceived as such. What defines the living? What separates the living from the dead, and the dead from the non - living? What is it to be alive in these lives that we live?

In contemporary society, the dead and the living come together in an ultimate and immutable binary configuration. The puppet, the animated matter with its ancestral ties to magic, religion and, later, to the arts, appears willing to defy this law of nature, at least symbolically. Let us not forget that traditional puppets have accomplished one of the most astounding feats of all time: that of killing death itself! At the same time, puppets, machines or zombies seem to bear this structural ambiguity with ease as they make their way through Uncanny Valley.

The programme is very diverse and we urge you to join us in the lively enjoyment of it all. Make the most of the festivities at the festival!

Artists from Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, Chile, Azores and, of course, Portugal, are participating in fimp'22. In their suitcase, or in their truck, they bring us very different, very pertinent proposals, full of poetry and restlessness. These artists are men and women of great talent and creativity, and their rigorous and provocative works deserve our curiosity and our attention.

At this festival there is always room to learn and experiment, so the programme includes training courses for professionals and other experiences for people of all ages who want to learn. There is also an opportunity to learn about works and ideas under construction in our now traditional WIP section.

This Festival takes place in October, but relies on the dedication of the whole fimp team throughout the year. It is also thanks to the partnerships that have been maintained and created that the public can learn so much more about the work of these artists, and enjoy these performances. Despite their different missions and relative sizes, the Câmara Municipal do Porto and its Teatro Municipal, Câmara Municipal de Matosinhos and the Teatro Constantino Nery, the Teatro Nacional São João, the Coliseu Porto Ageas, the Teatro de Marionetas do Porto and its Teatro de Belomonte, as well as the Teatro de Ferro are all fundamental to the success of this edition of fimp. The ongoing support of the Ministério da Cultura - Direção Geral das Artes continues to be essential to the continued success of this annual festival. This year is numerically pleasing, for fimp turns 33 in 22, and marks that date by setting in motion new international partnerships with FIT – Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Cádiz, and Festival de Otoño de la Comunidad de Madrid. I would like to record my appreciation of everyone involved for the work we did together, and my gratitude to them for helping us make this strikingly clear, collective dream called fimp come true.

And since this festival deals with life’s great mysteries, I would like to note my professional and personal thanks to my life partner Carla Veloso, who accepted the challenge of Project Manager and Programme Coordinator at the beginning of this cycle that now draws to a close. New adventures and challenges await us – all of us!

Let the fimp begin!