A joint program launched by film festivals in Macau, Portugal, and Cape Verde has received approximately 60 dance films and videos from six Portuguese-speaking countries and territories, the organization told Lusa.
Mary Wong, curator of Macau’s Rollout Dance Film Festival, revealed that the “Saracoteio — Dance on Screen” initiative received works from Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Macau. Some artists from these locations even worked together to present collaborative works, noted the Portuguese-national dancer, who was born in Macau prior to the administration’s transition to China.
The selection process is set to begin shortly, with results expected by the end of May. The call for entries for Saracoteio remained open until April 30 for authors or producers who are natives or residents of Portuguese-speaking countries or regions.
The initiative is a partnership between Rollout, the 34th Almada Dance Quinzena in Portugal, and the Uabá Festival in Cape Verde. Selected works will be featured in all three festivals, starting with Uabá on Santiago Island from September 21 to 25, followed immediately by Almada from September 25 to October 11, and concluding with Macau’s Rollout in December.
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In statements to Lusa in April, Mary Wong emphasized that beyond a one-off partnership, the goal of Saracoteio is to strengthen ties between artists from different backgrounds. In early October, dancers from Macau will travel to Portugal to present four works, while in early December, the Almada Dance Quinzena will bring dance projects to the region.
Wong noted that Chinese authorities are promoting a strong link between Lusophone countries and China through Macau, which she describes as the “great narrative.”
Beijing established the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macau Forum) in 2003, which also promotes cultural exchanges, including an annual Cultural Week that expanded to mainland China for the first time in 2025.
However, Wong believes that in the cultural sphere, it is more important to create strong connections between artists than to wait for government policies. The dancer also feels an emotional bond with Portugal, having participated in a dance exchange in Lisbon in 2014 and later earning a master’s degree in Cultural Studies from the Catholic University of Portugal.
She noted that while cultures differ, funding opportunities are more accessible in Macau, allowing for international exchanges with better resources, yet she argued that Macau’s artistic creations need more diversity, which can be improved through the perspective of the Western ecosystem.
