The Mindelact International Theatre Festival has commenced its 32nd edition this Monday, running through Saturday with daily performances on the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. According to the organizers, the event is proceeding despite significant difficulties. The opening performance features "Amontoados," a co-production between Portugal's Teatro Griot and Mindelact, directed by Zia Soares and featuring interpreters from the association's theatre initiation course.
The main venue for the festival is the Mindelo Cultural Center, which hosts nightly shows at 21:00 local time. The program, themed "Edição Raiz," extends beyond São Vicente to include meetings, workshops, and events in Praia on Santiago Island and Porto Novo on Santo Antão. This theme pays homage to Cape Verdean cultural roots and commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Claridade Movement, a key element of the nation's identity.
José Pedro Bettencourt, vice-president of Mindelact, stated during an October press conference that the festival aims to reinforce the archipelago's identity alongside its international dimension. The lineup includes participants from Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Togo, Italy, and Denmark. Bettencourt emphasized that the best way to dialogue with the world is to know where one speaks from.
However, the organization faces recurring challenges, primarily a lack of spaces and resources. Zenaida Alfama, the festival's treasurer, described the situation as frustrating, noting that the team constantly chases institutions and funding for an event that is no longer new. These difficulties have reportedly caused some discouragement within the team and led to the departure of some founders.
Established in 1995 with participation limited to groups from São Vicente and Santo Antão, Mindelact achieved national representation in 1996 and international status in 1997. The organization currently positions the festival as Cape Verde's primary theatrical event and the most important theatre occurrence in all of Lusophone Africa.
Sources: Observador.