SMAS historical films exhibition
Between 5 and 12 November, Parque das Águas will host an exhibition of historical films about Porto's water supply. The initiative is promoted by Águas e Energia do Porto, in partnership with Cinemateca Portuguesa, as part of World Cinema Day.
The exhibition, available at the Estufa and accessible during normal opening hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), brings together film records of the major modernisation works carried out on the water supply network between 1933 and 1953 — a decisive period for the city's urban and economic development.
The films, produced in 35 and 16 millimetres, were restored and digitised between 2016 and 2022, after being rediscovered in 2015 in the Jardins de Nova Sintra. The two short films by André Moura, dated 1933 and 1941, portray the technical advancement of infrastructure and the context of social and economic transformation that marked the 20th century in Porto.
The programme also includes a documentary exhibition from the AEdP Historical Archive, which revisits the challenges and solutions implemented over two decades of public investment. The exhibition highlights the economic and urban impact of the supply system on the modernisation of the city.
This initiative is an opportunity to revisit a historical heritage of high technical and social value. The restoration and dissemination of these films reflect Porto's commitment to preserving its memory and valuing the role of water in the sustainable development of the city.
By repeating the initiative in 2025, the municipality is reinforcing its strategy of cultural promotion and enhancement of historical heritage, positioning cinema as an instrument of scientific and economic dissemination — and highlighting the contribution of public infrastructure to the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the territory.
The exhibition, available at the Estufa and accessible during normal opening hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), brings together film records of the major modernisation works carried out on the water supply network between 1933 and 1953 — a decisive period for the city's urban and economic development.
The films, produced in 35 and 16 millimetres, were restored and digitised between 2016 and 2022, after being rediscovered in 2015 in the Jardins de Nova Sintra. The two short films by André Moura, dated 1933 and 1941, portray the technical advancement of infrastructure and the context of social and economic transformation that marked the 20th century in Porto.
The programme also includes a documentary exhibition from the AEdP Historical Archive, which revisits the challenges and solutions implemented over two decades of public investment. The exhibition highlights the economic and urban impact of the supply system on the modernisation of the city.
This initiative is an opportunity to revisit a historical heritage of high technical and social value. The restoration and dissemination of these films reflect Porto's commitment to preserving its memory and valuing the role of water in the sustainable development of the city.
By repeating the initiative in 2025, the municipality is reinforcing its strategy of cultural promotion and enhancement of historical heritage, positioning cinema as an instrument of scientific and economic dissemination — and highlighting the contribution of public infrastructure to the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the territory.
