In a statement, Alvalade Cineclube explains that the regular programming ends this month with the last two cinema sessions. In January there will be an initiative for teenagers and from then on there may be separate sessions.

The Alvalade Cineclube was created in 2019 to overcome “the lack of opportunities to see 'non-mainstream' films”, having had regular programming at the Centro Cívico Edmundo Pedro, at the Fernando Lopes and Ideal cinemas, in open-air spaces, in societies recreational facilities and municipal libraries, for around 6,000 spectators.

“The reasons for the stoppage are, above all, the difficulty of managing a civic and amateur-based project that does not have the means to become professional. Given the growth in activity implied by the available financing channels, it was decided that it was not viable to keep the film club active”, say the programmers, volunteers in this project.

For the farewell, the film club will show two films at Cinema Fernando Lopes, located within the Universidade Lusófona, and which relate to the experience of watching cinema.

The film club adds that in January it will also have a final showing of the “Cinedojo” project, for teenage programmers, at the Turin cinema, and is considering “possibly 'pop-up' sessions in other independent exhibition spaces, to discuss the panorama of non-commercial and the importance of slowing down and stopping these days”.

According to data available online, the Cinema and Audiovisual Institute (ICA) counts around 50 film clubs in the country.

In 2022, cinema screenings in film clubs were attended by 68,816 spectators, in almost 2,000 cinema sessions.

This year, with data recorded until July, film clubs had 41,397 spectators and scheduled 1,385 sessions.