Cinephilia, Urban Spaces and Affective Memories: Mapping cinephilic places in 1950s-1980s Lisbon

CineTopos explores the intersection of cinephilia and topophilia.

The first refers to the love for cinema, a love composed of moments, rituals, and artifacts; while the second refers to the ‘love of place’, the emotional connection that individuals have with specific places. In effect, the concept of ‘topos’ includes both a physical and a mental space.

I argue that both concepts can be connected, and I will address cinephilia as a ‘site-specific’ phenomenon, deeply connected to a specific location and geography.

My approach will contribute to an underexplored area, as current discourse generally focuses on the relationship between cinema and urbanism.

Unlike studies that examine how films depict cities or how cities are shaped by the evolution of movie theatres, my research will delve into the social spaces linked to cinephilia that extend beyond cinemas or film clubs.

Indeed, cinephilia was shaped by cinephilic places par excellence - cinemas, ciné-clubs, video rental stores – but also 'cinephilic para-spaces' – such as cafés and restaurants where cinema was discussed, and neighborhoods frequented by cinephiles. As a case study, I will focus on Lisbon from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Lisbon is a peripheral and often overlooked capital within Western European film studies. However, within Lisbon, one can find many ‘cinephilias’, with their variations, communities and subcultures. Distinctions can be made based on social class and wealth, as well as on cinematic ‘schools of thought’.

I aim to map the spaces and places that were significant for cinephile and film culture over time (1950-1980), including key social and political changes like the Carnation Revolution, and to identify which elements persist in contemporary Lisbon.

This topic lends itself not only to academic dissemination and knowledge transfer, but it can also serve as project creating community involvement and activating intergenerational cultural memory in relation to cinephilic spaces.